


The Slumbering Darkness

by drunkinthemorning



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: & she's the one who stops him from falling into darkness, Action & Romance, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Developing Relationship, F/M, He'll always come back for her, Two Against The Galaxy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-05-12 21:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5682016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drunkinthemorning/pseuds/drunkinthemorning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Resistance has all but fallen, and as the dark side slowly extends its suffocating grasp across the galaxy, the Force revives a man long dead, thrusting him into an unfamiliar darkness, redolent of the one he had left behind. And as Rey encounters Anakin Skywalker, it quickly becomes apparent that the one chosen to bring balance to the Force, was more of darkness, than of light.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/n: A story that takes place within / after the new movie, with a few key changes to the story.
> 
> 1.) The pairing is obviously between Rey and Anakin. While the story revolves more around the genre of an epic adventure, there will be strong hints of a slow build-up towards romance. I'd like to think of her as the one that holds him back from the darkness, and he the one that "comes back to/for her. (Referring to the whole theme of Rey being "abandoned" on Jakku, having no one coming back for her.)
> 
> 2.) There is no blood relationship between Rey and the Skywalker bloodline in this story. There is a strong possibility of her being Luke's daughter in the Star Wars canon, but this is an AU where she is not.
> 
> 3.) In this story, the New Republic and the Resistance have all but fallen. The dark side is slowly suffocating the galaxy whole. In order to bring balance to the force, a young Anakin Skywalker is revived and pulled from his time, forcefully thrown into an unfamiliar time of chaos. I'd like to work with the concept that "time itself does not exist within the force", that there are multiple timelines and universes going on all at once. In Rey's time, Anakin was Darth Vader, a man who ultimately sacrifices himself in order to save his son and causing the downfall of Darth Sidious. However, the Anakin thrown into her time was from another place, someone who's backstory was certainly a lot darker than the Anakin we knew.
> 
> 4.) Most of the newer cast will be in the story. I'm quite interested in writing their perspectives / thoughts as to the arrival of Anakin.
> 
> 5.) We will be following the movie up until their arrival on Takodana (the green planet.) I am making a few changes to the story afterwards. Instead of being captured by Kylo Ren, Rey will instead escape with Han and the rest of the Resistance, heading towards their base on Q'Dar. She would have accepted Luke's lightsaber, though with plenty of hesitation and uncertainty.
> 
> The First Order would have still destroyed the New Republic planets with their newest weapon, but they were unable to locate the primary Resistance base as they were hidden deep within the Outer Rim Territories. In the two months she spent on the base, she would have been given plenty of training by Leia and the Resistance fighters. But without a proper Jedi master's guidance, Rey would not be anywhere near her actual potential.
> 
> When the Resistance discovered the First Order's plan to use the Starkiller weapon once more, they sent a X-Wing Squadron to attack the artificial planet. However, their assault ended up an utter failure, their pilots captured and interrogated by Kylo Ren, who managed to break them into revealing the location of the Resistance base.
> 
> The story starts upon the First Order's attack of the Resistance base.

_Today… is the end of the republic._

The surging heaves of deceleration were familiar sensations, but the cautionary blares of the navigation systems were not. General Hux ignored the flashing warnings, his mind elsewhere as the First Order's Imperial Star Destroyer - _Finalizer_ , dropped out of hyperspace, entering the vast expanse of the uncharted Outer Rim Territories.

A lawless region in space; there were no governments here, no systems in place. It was a wretched void, an abyss of scum and of villainy; the space-route was long abandoned due to the abundance of cartel and syndicate activities in the vicinity. In fear of pirates and of hijackings, there were no standard merchant-class ships in this system, but the Imperial Star Destroyer was hardly an easy painted target. It was instead a visible ascendance of power, a predominant behemoth that was the clear embodiment of the First Order's strength.

The young general was unfazed by the ungoverned sectors; those that were foolish enough to dare an attempt on his ship, would soon realize the fatality of their judgement once entering the proximity of his advanced targeting systems. Those that dare try, will end up as specks of space-dust, nothing more.

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed that the emptiness of this region was the main reason why the Resistance's primary base was located on D'Qar, an uncharted world hidden beneath stray belts of unending asteroids; a world of lush green that soon spilled into the main command bridge's viewpoint. In order to peacefully co-exist in such a desolated region, the Resistance must have struck a deal with the Cartels. Men of the latter were not known for cooperating with government bodies, but with enough credits, even the Hutts could be convinced to dance.

Hux detested the grandly built viewports, he felt that they were an unnecessary additional to the ship's command bridge. The Resurgent-class Star Destroyers were guided by highly advanced navigation systems, they required zero visual references of any sorts. He noticed the lingering gaze of a few younger cadets, those that were born from the artificial worlds of the fallen Galactic Empire, never having witnessed worlds of such vivid colors.

He believed the viewing windows to have stemmed from an antiquated romanticism that pertained to space travel; to watch as the worlds and the stars pass you by. Or perhaps, the preferences of a previous general, one that enjoyed an un-generated image of a Republic ship being torn into shreds by one of their three thousand turbolasers and ion cannons. Hux did not believe in such luxuries, he felt they were nothing more than hindrances.

"General, we have arrived at the Ileenium system." The metallic female voice momentarily interrupted the man's thoughts, drawing his attention towards the armored Stormtrooper beside him. Unlike the usual white of plastoid composite that made up the Galactic Empire's army, hers was in a reflective shade of chrome. A most unusual mix.

He recognized the material as chromium, a certainly expensive resource; his father used to own a Yacht-ship made of chromium plating back during their days on the planet Arkanis, before he graduated from the Academy and entered the ranks of the First Order. He also remembered reading somewhere that in Naboo culture, chromium plated ships signified the presence of royals. A theory he was unable to further explore, as the Naboo system was currently in occupancy by the New Republic; even after countless unsuccessful attempts by the Imperial Navy to regain control of that region.

He turned towards the Stormtrooper captain. "What is the status of the Resistance base?"

"The base is all but crippled. Their failed assault on the Starkiller base drove their forces thin, they were not expecting our attack, much less such a swift and hostile response."

The Stormtrooper pressed onto the holocom on her wrist, expanding a holographic image of D'Qar's topography, showing the General the remnants of the Resistance base and their converging forces. "My squadrons are on the verge of clearing out the remaining vestiges of those still loyal to the New Republic."

"What of… Kylo Ren?" The General bitterly asked, his distaste for the mentioned figure apparent in his tone.

"He left for D'Qar not too long ago. He wanted to personally oversee the capture and interrogation of prime Resistance targets."

Hux's frown started to turn even darker. He did not understand what Supreme Leader Snoke saw in the clearly deranged Knight of Ren. Hux wasn't a Force sensitive humanoid, but he knew enough of the Force and of the dark side. He had access to classified files and datacrons, had seen records of the fabled Sith; a power-hungry order that once reigned supreme over the lesser galaxy, ruling with iron fists and mystical powers. Their eventually downfall was not only because of the now extinct Jedi Order, but from the many warring factions amongst themselves; an anarchic race, but Hux admired their strength.

He also learned from his father that the previous Emperor was a Sith, a being of tremendous power that resembled more of a godly monster than of a man. Darth Sidious eradicated the entire Jedi Order, he conquered vast regions of the Galaxy under the Galactic Empire, he killed and drained the life forces of billions in order to keep himself immortal. Compared to such feats, Kylo Ren seemed almost pathetic, an infantile man prone to outbursts of immature anger and rage. He was nothing but a masked henchman with a dangerous blade.

Yet, even with all the animosity he held towards the Knight of Ren, he would admit that Kylo Ren had a certain way with interrogating their prisoners. His grasp of telepathic torture could usually procure, within minutes, results of which hours of surgical instruments and pain-inducing chemicals could not. And as much as Hux despised Kylo Ren, he did not question the man's methods.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

The hanger lights coruscated brilliantly off the darkened tower of flowing robes; a squadron of elite soldiers stood in the path of the approaching figure, their postures were rigid and silent, their blasters poised formidably over their armored chests. They were taught to be expressionless and impassive in their movements, yet none could shake the uneasiness in the air.

As the doors to the hanger bay slid open, the exiting gust of wind caught the masked figure's robes, briefly revealing the crudely designed lightsaber hilt strapped to his side. Headed in the direction of his ship, the comlink he carried in his palm whirred suddenly to life, buzzing with an incoming signal which the man checked before accepting the transmission.

"Status." His voice carried a slight metallic tint, cold and dispassionate, caused by the breathing apparatus he wore to conceal his features.

"On route to waypoint delta-six. Coordinates of x-two-one-three, y-four-one-three." The voice on the other end was uneven, it broke with each constant burst of incoming static, yet the directions of the Resistance spy was clear. His target was heading towards one of their evacuation sites. Kylo Ren had no intention of joining alongside the Stormtroopers on their initial assault on the Resistance base. He had much higher priorities at hand – a personal mission from the Supreme Leader himself.

His spies had managed to infiltrate the Resistance base beforehand, and were successful in mapping out all of their evacuation sites. The higher ranked members of the Resistance were undoubtedly heading towards those as of this moment.

Heading towards his Corvette-Class Stealth Infiltrator, he motioned towards the quiescent guards standing by the side of his moderately sized ship. They resembled the average Stormtrooper, except with armor as dark as the vacuum of space. They stood facing the other, undaunted by his growing presence. The two were his personal guards and while they lacked the natural potential of the Force, they were trained in becoming sensitive towards it, as the perfect assassins.

Thumbing the received coordinates into the ship's transceiver, he logged the location into its navigation systems before the ship's thrusters came to life. Strapping themselves into the seats, they shortly left the Imperial Star Destroyer and entered the planet's orbit. Designed sleekly for both stealth and for speed, it wasn't long before they touched down silently in a clearing a short distance away from the evacuation site. As they headed towards the coordinates, they soon came into contact with a minuscule spaceport of sorts, a tiny hanger that was camouflaged within the jungles of D'Qar, equipped with a single space shuttle.

The location was poorly defended. It wasn't an important site, no doubt an evacuation contingency they were not expecting to activate. The Resistance wasn't prepared for the First Order's attack, much less finding out their exact coordinates. His men quietly took out the few guards that stood idly by, their bodies quickly disposed of before the three slipped into the darkness… waiting for their prey to arrive.

**.**

* * *

**.**

There were a lot of things that Rey did not know. She did not know how the First Order found the Resistance base, she did not know if General Leia made it out before the bombardments began, she did not know where BB-8 and the rest of her friends were, and amongst other things, she did not know which alien species the dying Resistance fighter beside her belonged to.

But what she knew, was that their base was all but destroyed, that many of her friends and her comrades were already dead. She also knew, that beyond a doubt, she had never felt more afraid in her entire life, and that the alien beside her was on the verge of death itself.

Her hands wouldn't stop trembling, even as much as she willed them to. She was trying to maintain constant pressure on the dying alien's chest wound, but his green tinted blood continued to leak no matter how hard she tried.

The five of them were currently traveling on board a land-transport shuttle, heading in the direction of an evacuation site. There were more than two dozen in total, so if one were to become compromised, the others still had a chance to escape. At least that was the rationale for splitting up their already massively dwindling forces.

When she looked down at the alien, she quickly realized that they were now down to four.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to reach out for the reassuring touch of the Force. It was there, but she felt something alongside it, a symbiote darkness that sought to consume everything whole. It terrified her.

**.**

* * *

**.**

Kylo Ren was not a patient man, but patiently, he waited, his robes curling around him as he sat on the durasteel floors, his eyes closed behind his opaque faceplate. Deep within meditation, he could feel the embrace of the Force growing and subsiding around him; streams of invisible currents, drawn to his very essence and his rage. He could see the streams inside his mind; some thicker than most, others, thinner, more fragile and weak. Each was connected to a different living being; the essence of the Force, flowing through each and every individual, regardless of their connection to the Force itself.

They felt like actual strings dangled in front of him, visible, yet out of reach. He was able to mentally tap into each, to feel the presence of its source. Tapping into hers would allow him to better pinpoint her location and the number of Resistance fighters she traveled along with, but he avoided that connection. He felt her approaching presence in the form of the Force, the strings pulsating stronger with each passing second, but he did not know of her strength and of her training, he was unfamiliar with the extent of her connection to the Force.

A stronger Force user would be able to sense his intruding presence, to sense his ill intentions. So he kept himself hidden, shrouded within the darkness of the Force.

They watched from the shadows as the doors to the hanger slid open, the entering Resistance members wasting no time in heading towards the evacuation shuttle. There were four of them in attendance, three whom he recognized as Resistance fighters and then… there she was.

It brought a smile to his lips, surely he had waited long enough for their arrival. His robes whirled unnaturally as he stood, the fabric seemingly alive as the light from the hanger illuminated his monstrous figure. As he took a step in the direction of the approaching party, a wave of crushing darkness tore towards the four, an immense blast of energy that forced them onto their knees.

The three fighters that were untrained in the Force fell immediately, a growing wave of increasing fear as their bodies collided against the cold floor. The female staggered, but remained afoot, though momentarily dazed from his attack. He saw her reaching for her weapon, and as did he, his unstable lightsaber bursting wrathfully in his arm, its luminescence casting the side of the hanger in a shade of violent red. Unlike a Jedi's movement, his own were not of gracefulness, but instead an unstoppable tidal wave that consumed everything in its path, leaving behind nothing but destruction in its wake. His blade tore into the chest of the first soldier, the man's desperate screams lasting for only seconds before his lifeless body crumpled onto the ground, a gaping hole smoking from his chest.

One of the soldiers managed to get his weapon up, releasing a salvo of laser bolts which he managed to deflect with ease, sending the deadly projectiles harmlessly to the side. Kylo Ren was about to raise his weapon towards the attacking soldier when he saw the man's skull suddenly explode, followed by a multitude of laser bolts penetrating the chest of the man behind him.

His assassins, they were taking away his fun.

Before he could complain, an igniting lightsaber drew his attention. The female must have recovered from his initial attack, her weapon of a sleek brilliant blue, much in contrast to his own. He could sense her fear, could see it in her eyes. Even so, he felt her strength, a fiery resolve that burnt against the suffocating darkness. His eyes stared lifelessly at her own from behind his darkened visor, a void that held nothing but emptiness and death.

He paused for a moment, his hands falling limply to his side as his weapon deactivated. He felt the Force swirling around him as his eyes slowly flickered shut; in that moment, Kylo Ren saw clearer than he had ever before. She leapt, and in a burst of reddened fury, his weapon lanced upwards, deflecting the downward strike of her blade. Their weapons clashed against the other with such intensity, sparks of energy ignited with each continuous blow. The female was fierce, her footing firm and her stance strong, but she was fighting against an unrelenting monstrosity, he parried effortlessly blow after blow, never once attacking in return.

He relaxed his posture as her blade swung towards his head, the swooshing of her blade passing through as he lowered his towering frame, skilfully dodging her attack as his blade retracted once more, a diminishing glow of red as he instead harnessed the Force between them both, sending a wave of darkened Force energy that collided against her center.

In one moment, she was standing in front of him. In the next, she was violently propelled off her feet, heavily crashing into the walls behind her with a loud thud. He remained still, waiting as she painfully dragged herself back onto her feet; a trail of blood ran down the side of her skull, she wiped it away. He could sense her growing fear, the doubt and the uncertainty that clouded her every emotion. The ensuring dread and horror, it only sought to further excite him.

He did not move as she reached out in the direction of her fallen weapon with the Force, the unlit grip shooting weakly in her direction before coming into contact with her palm. Her control of the Force felt feeble and weak, she was clearly inexperienced, not well trained outside of basic combat. When she readied her weapon once more, he raised his glove in her direction; her fighting spirit was admirable, but ultimately futile. It wasn't even necessary to engage such a weakened opponent in continuous combat.

There was a moment of silence, before a gathering of Force in the next. The air between them crackled and flashed in resonance, before a tremendous wave of darkness forced her down onto her knees with such intensity, she lost consciousness for a second.

As he headed towards the incapacitated female, he noticed the heaving chest of a fallen Resistance soldier, the man still desperately clinging onto life. Holding out his arm, he dragged the soldier towards him with the Force, sending the man sprawling in front of the kneeling female. He allowed the woman to see the man's fear stricken face in all its glory, before his reddened saber ignited into the man's spine, effectively ending his life.

"The one I have heard so much about."

She looked up at him when he spoke, her lips trembled and parted, but it was as if she could not find the strength to speak. But when he reached out towards her with the constricting darkness, she quickly found the strength to scream.

When she eventually lost all consciousness, Kylo Ren looked towards the two that came along with him.

"Restrain her, and take her with us."

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

Time did not exist within this whirlpool of unbridled energy, a torrential current of all that lived, and all that ever will. The Force moved in waves in this ethereal plane, gigantic maelstroms of energy that held no good-will, yet was without malevolence. They rose and they fell, crashing seamlessly into one another, merging in unity, a true balance of the Force.

Yet, there was a particular wave that rejected the coalescence of its other, a growing darkness that had swallowed the light in all of its entirety. It was a vortex of unimaginable darkness, one that sought to consume the universe whole. Like an unchained beast, it fought and tore against those that would bring a stable equilibrium between both spectrum of the Force, and when it rose high enough, it collided against the pillars of the universe itself, sending tremors through all foundations of life.

And as the Force sought to regain balance in this darkening galaxy, waves of light shot towards the growing darkness, spiraling lances of pure light that formed into a single point of energy, bravely coverging upon the darkened tower. It pierced into the center of the darkness, and at the moment in time, a man long dead no longer was.

Thrust into the darkness, in order to find the light.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) In most canon, while the 'Skywalker' name was known and famed in the Star wars galaxy, it's slightly different from 'Anakin'. Most thought that he had perished at the end of the clone wars, and when he re-emerged as Darth Vader, few knew of his actual identity, even till the very end. So most of the universe would not have known nor recognized him / his name.
> 
> 2.) I made Kylo Ren a stronger warrior in my story, he will have a better grasp on the force, but it also further fuels his anger and his conflict.

Aboard the Purgatory-class prison ship – _Quietus_ , Poe Dameron drifted in between nightmares, occasionally brought back amongst the living by the constant grunts and groans of the thousands crammed into the same tiny prison block.

He was alone in the dimly lit cell for the first two days. On the third, they granted him a cellmate, an alien unlike any he had ever seen before; a glowing blob of green plasma, with half a dozen tentacles and a slimy eye on each end.

He tried conversing with his newest cellmate, but his attempts mostly went unanswered, the alien seemed more interested in levitating around the cell, leaving wet traces of slime everywhere it went.

Over the next few weeks, there were certain times when Poe woke to the alien hovering quietly above him, the tentacle held eye dangling inches away from his own. The first time it happened, he squealed in fright, the alien's proximity startling him a lot more than he cared to admit. But even so, after the two weeks he had spent aboard the _Finalizer_ , there was something comforting in being next to another sentient being, regardless of their intentions to devour him in his sleep… or whatever it was planning.

Before they transferred him onto the prison barge, they had him in isolation for a total of fifteen days. It wasn't the lack of human contact nor the First Order's inhumane treatment of prisoners that scarred him. It wasn't even the horrid screams he remembered coming from himself, nor the huge volume of his blood that they shed inside of the interrogation room.

Physical pain was something he was familiar with and endured for most of his life, but when the usual interrogators failed to extract any worthy information of note from his head, they brought in Kylo Ren. And within the next few minutes, the man was successful in tearing his mind asunder.

He could barely remember the details of the first few days; left only with shattered remnants of the Force wielding madman's torment. Kylo Ren's reach felt like parasitic worms that burrowed deep within the recesses of his mind, finding his darkest secrets, latching onto them and agonizingly extracting them to the outside world.

Poe had considered taking his own life on the seventh day; it wasn't done so out of cowardice or fear, he wasn't trying to escape his painful fate by seeking the sweet embrace of death. He was certainly afraid, beyond anything he had ever felt, but beneath Poe Dameron's wise-guy persona, was a man with utter loyalty to the Resistance, someone who believed in a time of peace, a galaxy without conflict that was achievable under the guidance of the New Republic.

And upon his crumbling defenses, he was adamant in taking his own life before revealing to Kylo Ren the location of the Resistance base.

But on the eighth day, he quickly realized it was no longer necessary. Outside news traveled fast inside of the Star Destroyer's holding cells; nothing remained of D'Qar, the Resistance had fallen. He might be the only one left fighting, and he certainly wasn't about to just lie there and accept his fate like a broken X-Wing.

On the fifteenth day, they transferred him to the prison barge, and on the nineteenth day of his captivity, Poe Dameron started to plan for his escape. Most interestingly, along with the alien blob who couldn't even speak.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

The doors slowly parted with a chilling gust, revealing a room devoid of furniture, but with a single chair in its center. They dragged her into the interrogation room, forcing her down onto the unusual looking seat as durasteel cuffs shot from each elongated extremity, firmly binding her limbs to her four corners; the cold metal bore down on her skin, a painful discomfort.

A cleaning droid hummed to itself by a corner, slowly circling a wide stain of red, undoubtedly the contents of the previous interrogated prisoner. Noticing the entering lifeforms, the droid quickly beeped to itself before exiting the room, leaving the crimson stains where they were; an unintended indication of what was to come, most chillingly so.

The two Stormtroopers took their positions by the side of the room once making sure she was properly secured, exiting only upon the entrance of an attired officer, undoubtedly someone with a higher rank. The man moved in front of her, his chillingly blue eyes glaring dispassionately in her direction. He looked down at a held chart before asking, "Where is the location of your general?"

Rey might have remained impassive to his question, but she felt an overwhelming wave of relief, _General Leia must have escaped_. It would mean that the Resistance have not entirely crumbled; they might be scattered, but they still have a fighting chance, they could be rebuilt.

However, she was given little time to savor her newfound knowledge, as a tiny needle emerged from the back of the chair, a soft prick as it penetrated the skin of her neck. She felt an instant coldness, followed by a sudden surge of agony that tore through her entire body. She started to scream, and continued till all she could do was to heave and gasp for air. When she thought it was over, another wave quickly engulfed her skin in a flameless burn, sending the bound female buckling painfully in her restraints.

If she could have done so between her pained gasps for oxygen, she would have begged him to stop. She couldn't breathe, much less hear her own incoherent thoughts.

"Painful isn't it?" the interrogator sneered. "It feels like having your skin being lit on fire while simultaneously having millions of volts of electricity run through your every fibre. The machine tapped into your nervous system, and I can now generate artificial impulses that would stimulate your pain receptors in any way I see fit. That would mean that I can make you feel whatever I want to, without the physical ramifications."

"That would mean, you'll never die from the pain. We can do this forever. Unless your heart decides it can no longer endure and it… well, it simply gives out. It happens." He tapped onto the datapad he brought along with him, "You are all the same, a defiant little bunch. It's only a matter of time."

There was a sudden throb in her chest, a warmness that soon expanded to a fiery heat. She started to scream once more as it engulfed her body whole. Her eyes rolled upwards, her nails digging so intensely into her palm she drew blood. When it stopped, she realized she was crying; a heated trail that ran down the side of her cheeks.

"Where is the Resistance general?" he asked.

"I… don't… know…" she whispered between breaths. She truly didn't. "Please." she begged, "I really don't know wher- "

She was unable to finish her sentence before another excruciating wave tore through her whole. "Where is the Resistance general!?"

When she did not reply, the officer started the program once more, then again, and again. Over and over until she could no longer scream. And when she lost consciousness, he turned it on once more, harshly jarring her back into a painful reality.

"Where… is the Resistance general?" the interrogating officer repeated the question once again.

"I… at…" she no longer had the strength to keep her eyes open, "she's at…" Her lips moved, but nothing came out.

"Tell me where she is, and I will make it all stop." He leaned closer to her and whispered, "I can make it all go away, just tell me where she is."

Her lips parted, a soft whisper he could barely hear. He moved closer to his prisoner, his ears tilting in her direction.

"At…" The moment he came within reach, Rey thrust her head forward, her teeth clamping down onto the man's ear. She bit down with all of her remaining strength, feeling a gush of warm liquid exploding into her mouth. She spit out the blood, along with a chunk of the man's ear.

He started to scream, his hands desperately trying to stem the flow of blood which soon colored his uniform crimson. He reached for the blaster strapped to his side and pressed it against her forehead, the barrel digging painfully into her skill. "I… will… I will kill… you!"

He started to squeeze the trigger, but his fingers were suddenly locked in their positions; he was unable to move. "What in the –" he turned, and came face to face with Kylo Ren.

"Our orders were to transport her to the Purgatory unharmed." The masked figure spoke softly, but there was clear malice in his voice, "Lieutenant, what are you doing?"

"I…" The man was not given a chance to finish his sentence, as a constricting grasp suddenly tightened mercilessly around his neck, the entirety of his body lifted into the air as his feet swung helplessly below him. His held blaster clattered harmlessly to the ground as the man started to desperately garble for air. It wasn't long before his lifeless body soon joined the discarded weapon.

And as agonizingly painful as the machine was, Rey would soon come to realize that it was a mere comfort compared to what Kylo Ren would do to her mind.

**.**

* * *

**.**

He sat across from her as he did the last few days, impassively and silent. She was trembling in her confines, her wrists bloodied from all her body's convulsions. She was shivering, not out of fear nor from the cold, but from the resulting aftermath of his forceful intrusion into the darkest recesses of her mind. She put up a valiant fight; as a force sensitive, the woman was a lot stronger than the usual prisoners he came across, but then again, it was only a matter of time, they all broke in the end.

There were no stones left unturned, he accessed every last memory, no matter how deep, no matter how well guarded. He knew of her loneliness, her fear; he knew of the reasons she stayed on Jakku, he saw of the parents that had left her behind. There was nothing she could hide from him, and in the end, she had nothing left of value.

She was weak, a feeble scavenger that knew little of her strength. He could snap her neck with the twist of his fingers.

But, Snoke still wanted her. She was important to him.

* * *

_"Why?" he asked, "why do you need her!? She is nothing!"_

_"Are you… questioning my orders, Kylo Ren?" the figure emerged from shadows, dozens of scars upon a collapsed cheek, the chilling disfigurement of his master._

_"I am not, but…" he couldn't hide the displeasure in his voice, "the girl she is-"_

_He was unable to finish his sentence before a sudden storm of purple lightning arced in his direction, waves of blinding electricity that swallowed everything in its path and brought him to his knees. There was a screeching noise in his ears, and only after did he realize that he was screaming._

_The attack had slumped him weakly onto the ground, he could feel his strength quickly withering away as though his life essence was being drawn and sucked out of him. He had never experienced such agony in his life, it felt like he was being torn apart from the inside._

_"Kylo Ren…" the being spoke in a monotonous voice, "bring me the girl."_

* * *

They arrived at the prison barge a week later for prisoner transfer. His master had given him further instructions to annihilate the remaining Resistance forces. They might be scattered and in hiding, but with the information he extracted from the captured Resistance soldiers, it wouldn't be long before he hunted each and every last one of them down.

**. **

* * *

**.**

**.**

They moved her into an unmarked cell by the corner of the prison's block, roughly shoving her into the confined space, sending her knees scraping across the cold steel floor. Rey waited until the Stormtroopers returned to their posts before getting up and heading towards the locked doors, her fingers brushing against the underside of the lock's panel.

"Short circuiting the panel won't work, you can only access the mainframe from the outside of the cell."

She jumped at the voice and turned, quickly realizing she wasn't alone. A humanoid figure leaned against the corner of the cell, his features shielded by the towering shadows, his presence unnoticed until he spoke. "The vents won't work either, there are laser grids installed in the crawling space."

He must have noticed her eyes trailing to the vents above.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"A prisoner," he replied, "just like you." He stood and took a step into the light; the man couldn't have been just a few years older than she was, but there was something in his eyes that betrayed his youthful features, a gentle darkness that sent her senses into a worrying spin. She was instantly wary of him, even more so than the Stormtroopers that stood guard outside of her cell. She felt it in the force too, an unnerving disturbance that grew at his presence.

"You're the first person I've seen in a long time," he said.

There was nothing friendly in his tone, but it wasn't menacing either. Yet as wary of him as she was, Rey couldn't help but to feel that the man meant her no ill harm, that all he craved from her was conversation.

Even so, she was cautious of his every move, his every action. Growing up alone on Jakku, she was taught to become distrustful of strangers, that everyone had an ulterior motive that benefited them most. There were no exceptions here, not on board the First Order's prison barge of all places. She knew that in order to survive her ordeal and to escape the ship, there was no one she could trust or count on, other than herself.

"How long?" she asked, still suspicious and apprehensive of his intentions.

"I've lost track a long time ago." He motioned towards the barren walls behind, there were no windows in this prison, no way for them to keep track of time. "Months perhaps, maybe even a year."

Giving up trying to tamper with the gate's lock, she moved to the back of the cell. It was a tiny rectangular space, two beds on each side facing the other, a tiny sink and a seat in-between which she assumed to be the toilet. Taking a seat on her side of the cell, she pressed her face into her hands and groaned frustratedly into her palms. She was exhausted, and there wasn't a single part of her that wasn't hurting. It felt like the fate of the Resistance now rested entirely on her shoulders and she had zero clue as to what she was supposed to do next.

Luke Skywalker's lightsaber might have chosen her, but two months ago, she was nothing more than a simple scavenger trying to survive on Jakku, her life revolved around digging for scraps to trade for rations, she wasn't someone destined for greatness. She exhaled tiredly, and when she eventually regained her composure, she noticed the man's curious stare; their gaze met, and neither one pulled away.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"The same as any other prisoner on board this ship. I clearly did something they did not like."

She glared fiercely in his direction, "you are not answering my question."

"Why does it matter?" he asked, "are you-"

She interrupted him, "because it allows me to know what sort of person you are, to differentiate you between friend or foe. There is a huge difference between being imprisoned for supporting the Resistance, and being imprisoned for killing dozens of unarmed civilians."

He smiled for the first time, but it wasn't directed towards her, and not out of geniality, "you will be quick to learn that there are no such things as friends on this ship, only nightmares."

**.**

* * *

**.**

Anakin watched as she slept that night, her breaths in erratic tones as she turned and tossed in her fitful rest. There were times when he contemplated on rousing her from her sleep, to grant her temporary reprieve from the demons that haunted her dreams.

It reminded him partly of himself, of the dreams and visions that occurred since his redivivus. Images and memories that he did not understand; vividly of death, of a galaxy ruled in chaos underneath his thumb. He woke each time in cold sweat, a searing agony upon his ribs where he remembered the searing puncture of a lightsaber. But as he lifted his shirt, there were no such wounds, no scars of the painful death that remained prominent in his dreams.

He had the distinct recollection of another life; another place, somewhere he belonged. But he had none of how he ended up in this unfamiliar universe, just shattered fragments that further confused him with each passing thought.

When she asked for his name on the third day, he told her, _'Anakin Kenobi.'_ The family name of a person he recalled was as much his brother as his master. His actual surname held prominence in his time, a feared bloodline with an infamy for destruction. He did not know of its existence in hers, but he would not take that risk.

'Rey' was her name, nothing more. He knew she was apprehensive of him the moment they met, he did not blame her, it was only natural for her to do so. But he wasn't lying, she truly was the first person he came across in a long time. Other than the occasional Stormtrooper, he was left in isolation and not granted access to the general population. It felt like he was forgotten, and until her arrival, the fractured pieces of his mind was all that remained for company.

Many nights, he saw the face of another; the loving embrace of one he held so dear to his heart. Yet, a part of him knew he was also the one responsible for her death. He did not understand, nor could he remember why, and with each further attempt at remembrance, he was only granted a sorrowful tug from the heart that sought so desperately to forget.

They came for her on the fourth day, two prison guards that entered in the dead of night and forced her out of the cell. He watched silently as she struggled against them, but they were twice her size and not as disorientated by the sudden intrusion.

It was quiet on the fifth day, and even though they have not spoken much, he found himself missing her presence. He was alone once more.

They returned her on the sixth, battered and bloody, a crumpled wreck upon the cell floor. He helped her to the sink, where they tried futilely to clean her of the blood with their limited supply of water. On the seventh day, the first thing he noticed was the adamant strength beneath her tired eyes, a fiery persistence that shone brightly beneath demure hazel.

It reminded him of her, the woman in his dreams… _Padmé_. He whispered her name, it was the first time it chanced upon his lips. A name to the face of the person who haunted his dreams. He loved her once, but could no longer remember who she was.

When they returned for her the next day, he realized that they were trying to break her. But when he saw the resolve in her eyes, he knew that she could never truly be broken.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) To recap and to answer some questions, Anakin, Rey and Poe are on board the prison barge, but not all of them are in contact or know of the other's existence. Finn, Leia and Han managed to escape from the First Order's attack, but their locations are unknown as for now. Kylo Ren is hunting down the remaining Resistance forces, and Hux is still on board the Finalizer.
> 
> 2.) To confirm, while Anakin is dead for thousands of years in his own timeline, he is revived into a younger form in hers. So while he retains certain memories, most of them are lost and fragmented, along with dreams of his own future not yet passed. He is not an older Anakin revived into a younger body, but someone at his current age, with confusing memories of his own darkened future. Most of it would be further explained in future chapters, let's not spoil anyone yet!

The food on board the prison barge reminded her of the rations back on Jakku, albeit more consistently than her meals on the desert planet. Back then, her daily portions depended on the amount of scraps she managed to scavenge and trade with Unkar Plutt each day; a mixture of Polystarch and Veg-meat that did little to satisfy the growls of her stomach.

On most days, the food was never enough. On some, she had to go hungry, forcing herself to sleep until the sun's illumination allowed for her next scavenging attempt. The sand dunes of Jakku were notoriously dangerous, even more so come nightfall.

They were served two meals a day on the prison barge, undeviating schedules; once early in the morning and the other by the coming evening. The locked hatch by the cell's door would disengage for a second, allowing the outside delivery droid to drop two vacuum sealed packages into the room, one for each cellmate.

Inside each package, contained three separate ingredients. There was a sleek bar of some sort, in a jelly-like substance, it resembled the protein jellies that were available on Jakku; there was a loaf of bland bread, that tasted dubiously more artificial than not; there was also a cup of green that resembled juice, though it's taste was unlike any she have ever tried. Then again, fruits were quite the luxury back on Jakku, those weren't something she ate often, or at all.

Her days went slowly by inside of the cell, her only company her silent cell mate; being placed in the isolation block, they weren't allowed out into the general population. The first time they moved her from the cell, it wasn't for interrogative purposes; they did not ask a single question that day, but greeted her only with countless blows from shock batons, each strike to her briefly illuminating the faceless guards that assaulted her inside the dimly lit room.

Optimistically, compared to Kylo Ren's mental torment, she welcomed the physical torture, it was certainly the lesser of both evils. When returned to her cell afterwards, she could only curl up upon the cold prison floor; unmoving, every part of her ached with each breath she took. Her right eye was swollen shut, and she was sure one of her shoulders were dislocated.

She tried crawling to her bed, but her legs were unresponsive, they felt broken and detached. She couldn't move, could barely breathe. She wasn't expecting to receive his help, but he did so wordlessly, a gentle silhouette descending upon her; an arm sliding slowly underneath her own, allowing hers to loop around his neck. He carried her to her bunk, and sat her down on the edge.

"Bite onto your sleeve."

She complied, teeth grinding down onto the fabric. And as she did, he forcefully pushed and snapped her dislocated shoulder back in place. Her pained cries echoed loudly throughout the cell with a resonated muffle, before they were reduced to a painful sob as frustrated tears sought to escape.

And as the man returned to his side of the room, she quickly fell into a tired rest.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

The next day, they were unable to fully clean the blood that she smudged across the cell's floor. They were given access to only a limited supply of drinking water each day. There were no showering areas on the prison barge; every two days, a washing droid would enter their cell with two prison guards, the guards would force them against the walls, making sure that they were unarmed before allowing the droid to spray them down with a sterilized disinfecting gas.

She couldn't remember the last time she took a shower, it must have been weeks ago on the Resistance base.

She was certainly still conflicted about her cellmate, and the growing consternation from her dire situation gave way to much ambivalence. Other than when they first met, he was quiet most of the time, in silent meditation by his side of the cell. He would remain in absolute stillness for hours, his body unmoving, his eyes closed, the only remaining indication of his presence was the slow inhale and exhale of his chest. She would stare at him from her corner as he did so, wondering what exactly went on inside the head of his.

She couldn't shake the uneasiness that she felt, an effluxion of darkness that emerged from the quiet figure; it evoked memories of her body's reaction to the nearing proximity of Kylo Ren, a familiar darkness, a chilling remembrance that she could never rid herself of. But even though they were the same, they were unequivocally different. While the latter resembled much of a destructive wave that consumed all in its path, the former was a perplexing contrast, like a breeze, a gentle zephyr; like tranquility, in a serene darkness.

It confused her, and her lack of training in understanding the Force quickly became ever more so apparent. Yet, she couldn't forget the way he helped her when she needed it most, the vulnerability she felt when he carried her to her bed as though a mere child. Growing up alone on Jakku, she had no one she could trust, and his simple action impacted her more than she could understand. It swayed her thoughts, but even so, she forced herself to remain vigilant.

There were nights when she woke to his strained whispers, a susurrus of names and words she did not recognize nor understand. When he woke the next day, he was as impassive and inscrutable as before; the moment of weakness as though never having existed at all. She did not mention it to him, they reminded her too much of the nightmares she was desperately trying to escape herself.

Once a week, a cleaning droid would enter their cell and sterilize the room from top to bottom. She would thank the droid each time, receiving a series of excited beeps in return. The droids never last too long between circulations, and she believed it was because of their treatment by some of the less decent inmates.

"Why do you talk to droids that way?" he asked her one day, shortly after the droid left with the two prison guards that came along with it.

She wasn't expecting such a question, "What do you mean?"

"Like they're alive."

"I don't understand?"

"You speak to the droids like you would a living being." There was genuine curiosity in his voice, "You greet the cleaning and washing droids when they arrive, and you thank them for executing their basic subroutines."

"I guess it's something of a… habit?" She had never thought of it in such a way, it was always done so instinctively, she wasn't a person that would treat droids as anything lesser than another living being. But a part of her knew otherwise; growing up alone on Jakku, droids were the only ones that gave her proper companionship, a small distraction from her suffocating loneliness. "But either way, it doesn't hurt to show them a little respect," she said, "they have feelings too."

"Artificial feelings," he corrected her.

"Feelings nonetheless."

It was the first time their conversation went longer than a few simple exchanges, and she took initiative to try and satisfy her growing curiosity with her mysterious cellmate. "If you don't mind," she moved to the edge of her bed, sitting in a way which allowed her to face him; she did so in a careful manner, her shoulder wasn't fully recovered, and her ribs still hurt from sudden movements, "may I ask where you are from?"

He looked upwards, seemingly buried in his thoughts for the longest time. "I was from… Tatooine." His answer held uncertainty, like he was referring to the remnants of a life that was long passed, a place buried within his memories, forgotten until she asked him that very question. "Tatooine," he said once more, this time sounding more sure and confident.

"Tatoo… ine?" she repeated, the name felt foreign to her tongue, an unfamiliar place. "What is it like?" she asked, remembering the vast beauty of Takodana, a world of vibrant green, an alluring radiance that her eyes could not grasp for the first time.

"Desolate and barren," he replied. "Sand, there was a lot of sand."

She smiled, perhaps for the first time since the day their base was attacked by the First Order. "Sounds like Jakku. That's where I grew up. Sand as far as the eye could see, I hate it too, it gets everywhere."

"It really does."

And for the first time, their conversation felt almost natural, a flowing exchange between friends and no longer acquaintances. It felt different, and for some reason, she liked it. "The way you speak of your birth planet," she said, "it sounds like you've not been back for the longest time."

"I… think so." he replied softly, "it's been a while."

The way he spoke was puzzling, his mannerisms and words done so in a vague and obscure manner. But she knew it wasn't with the intention of deceiving or misdirecting her. Instead, she was reminded of an elderly person, trying to remember events from their youth, so long passed it could have been from another life. But the man sitting across her couldn't be further than an old man.

Her thoughts were briefly interrupted by the beeps of a delivery droid, the gate's hatch deactivating for a moment as their dinner was tossed into the room. She watched as he got up from his seat, picking up both their packages and tossing one to her. The food was unappetizing, but it prevented hunger and malnourishment; they didn't have much of a choice but to quickly consume them.

"You'll get used to it," he said when he noticed how disgusted she looked when biting into the flavorless protein bar.

"Unlikely," she grunted between bites, "and I don't like the idea of getting used to the taste. I need to escape from here before I do."

"Do you have a plan?" he asked.

"I…" she stuttered, "I don't have one… yet." Finishing with the bar, she started on the bread, it was the better of the three, "but I will think of something. I definitely will." It sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than she was him, "I'll get there, eventually."

"Good luck with that," he laid back down on his bed, his hands crossed in front of him, eyes closed once more. In a matter of minutes, she could no longer tell if he was in meditation or asleep.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

"You told me there are no such things as friends on this ship." she said to him one day during their second week together in captivity.

His eyelids flickered open, his gaze falling onto hers, waiting for her to continue.

"But you helped me." she said, "why?"

"The cleaning droids only stop by once a week," he replied nonchalantly, almost too quickly for her taste, "it would be unpleasant if you died and I had to stay with a rotting corpse for another five days."

She was speechless for a moment, but when he exhaled, she realized that he was only joking, or at least she thought he was. His features remained dispassionate, she couldn't read him.

"And I don't like watching people die in front of me," he said softly, interrupting her thoughts, "not when I can help them."

"T-thank you for that." She looked away, but there came no acknowledgement from his end. When she looked towards him once more, she realized he had returned to his quiet meditation.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

Another week quickly passed, and she was no better in finding a way to escape. There were no longer any visits from the prison guards, she did not understand why, but it was a welcoming reprieve. She sat onto his side of the bed that day, "What would you do on your first day out of here?"

He turned towards her, an eyebrow questioningly raised.

"Have you not thought about it?" she asked, "thinking positively helps me remain calm."

"I have, but not in a long time."

"I think I would take a shower, I don't get those a lot on Jakku." She closed her eyes with a smile; the first time she experienced the luxury of a long drawn-out bath was on Q'Dar. "And I would find some proper food, like… fruit. I love fruit, we don't get a lot of that on Jakku either."

"There don't seem to be much on Jakku."

"You're right," she said with a lingering sigh.

"So why didn't you leave?"

"Because… of all the things that do not exist on Jakku, there is something that can only be found there," she paused. "A promise."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That my paren-" she stopped herself, wondering why she brought it up in the first place. "Nevermind. It's just a foolish thought."

He did not press for an answer, and she was glad for it.

"I would like a shower too," he said suddenly, just as a loud rumble tore through the entire ship. Their cell was plunged into darkness, before the roaring whirl of the ship's engine returning to life followed. The lights quickly came back on, and as their cell was illuminated once more, she noticed his fingers tapping softly onto the side of his bed. He was counting.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Solar flare." he replied, "a monthly occurrence. The prison barge is in current orbit around a twin sun. When it passes between the two at their closest point, the released magnetic radiation is powerful enough to knock out the ship's system for an entire six seconds."

Her brain clicked at that information, "Could we make use of the six seconds to escape from the cell?"

"The system might go down, but the gates will remain shut. It's too heavy to force open."

She sighed, "There must be a way to –"

"There is."

She turned towards him, her eyes widening in anticipation, "What do you have in mind?"

"If we can get access to a cleaning droid during the next solar flare, I might be able to divert its internal energy to power the cell's door. As the gate's security mainframe is disconnected from the main system for the exact six seconds, we could reprogram the droid to access the outer panel and reset the gate's factory defaults, allowing us to open the cell."

"G-5125."

"G-5125?" he asked.

"The droid that comes by every two days for our shower, but there are always two prison guards tagging along."

"That is the main issue."

"But even if we could take the both of them down," she thought for a moment, "there would still be a huge problem. We will only have minutes to reprogram the droid's internal system before someone notices the guards disappearance. Along with that, we have to time everything within the solar flare's timeframe."

"And even though I know my droids…" she continued, "there are so many things that could go wrong in that small amount of time, I could set a wire wrongly, or accidentally change an unnecessary subroutine."

"Don't worry," he interrupted her with a smile that held a trace of arrogance, "leave that part to me, I am good with droids."

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

_**A month later …** _

The cell doors hissed open, welcoming the arrival of two prison guards and a single cleaning droid. They entered the occupied cell, as the doors were quickly shut behind them, a precaution for those foolish enough to attempt an escape.

The shock batons that the guards held quickly came to life in their grips, as sparks of electricity protruded from their ends. "Inmate 1241-G and Inmate 1415-B, against the walls, now!"

The two prisoners complied obediently, their arms quickly pressed against the walls as they faced away from the two prison guards. Recognizing its job, G-5125 beeped a series of acknowledgements before rolling between the two inmates, a muzzle slowly extending from its back. It turned towards the female first, targeting her with its sensors before releasing a wave of sterilized moisture in her direction. Then it turned towards the male, and quickly beeped in confusion. There was nothing on its targeting sensors.

The two guards turned towards the male inmate, who currently kneeled just below the cleaning droid's sensors. He raised his arms quickly in surrender, but neither guard bothered with questioning his motives. The shock batons shot towards the male inmate, the first missing as he took a step back, the other colliding against his arm, a powerful jolt of electricity that sent him reeling to the side.

As the two focused on Anakin, Rey quickly jumped onto one of the guards from behind, her arms reaching around the man's neck. She remembered her training back on Q'Dar; if she squeezed hard enough and stopped the man's flow of blood to his brain, it was one of the most efficient ways of knocking out an opponent that was twice her size.

The other guard turned towards them with his shock baton raised. But before he could get a clean shot, Anakin slammed into him from behind, the momentum of his tackle sending the two sprawling across the cell floor.

Rey focused all of her remaining strength into her arms, but the guard was barely affected by her attempts. The man grunted as he took a step back and threw himself against the wall, his full weight knocking the breath out of her as her grip loosened, allowing the guard to regain his balance, finding a grip onto her clothing and pulling her off his back. She yelped in pain as he slammed her down onto the ground, the metallic soles of his boot quickly and repeatedly meeting her injured ribs.

Behind the two, Anakin and the other guard struggled for the fallen baton. The guard was well trained, and compared to him, Anakin had spent most of his year inside a prison cell, his strength was impaired, he was weak. They scuffled across the room, the guard eventually managing to overpower his adversary and finding a firm grip onto the electrical weapon. Its ignited tip stabbed into Anakin's rib, causing him to gasp in pain as he fell onto his knees.

The guard quickly positioned himself in front of the fallen inmate, the baton aimed towards the man's skull. He was poised to strike a fatal blow, and as his arms swung in the direction of Anakin's head, there was another sudden rumble that tore through the entire ship.

This time, it wasn't because of the solar flares.

**.**

* * *

**.**

On the other side of the prison barge, Poe Dameron roared as he stormed the guard's command center with the thousands of inmates he managed to rally behind him. Dozens of explosions rocked the ship from within, the ensuring chaos allowing them to quickly establish their growing victory.

"For the Resistance!" he screamed, as hundreds roared alongside him. Most of them did not understand what he was saying, but they cheered along too.

After weeks of planning with his green blob of a friend, they were definitely going to escape.

**.**

* * *

**.**

As the explosion lurched the ship forward, the guard lost his balance, his swing going wild. It allowed Anakin to stand and latch onto the man's arm, twisting his elbow and using his own momentum to send the shock baton's tip into his neck. The guard screamed as countless volts of electricity tore through him, his convulsing fingers dropping the baton directly into Anakin's reach.

Anakin did not hesitate, the weapon snapping into the man's groin, causing the guard to further lose his balance as he doubled over in pain. As the man clawed at him, trying to regain his weapon, Anakin felt the rise of a familiar darkness; it invaded his every sense, entrapping him within its constricting grasp.

His fingers tightened their grip, he found himself welcoming the coming darkness; he inhaled, and the baton snapped violently across the guard's windpipe, crushing his fragile larynx with a single blow.

Turning towards the continued activity behind him, he saw the other guard towering over the curled up female. Anakin leapt forward from the other side of the cell, his movements fuelled by the Force itself; the baton jammed into the man's lower back, causing him to arch backwards in pain.

A knee pressed into the guard's spine, an arm pulled onto his forehead, the other his chin.

For a moment, time was still, and in the next, a darkened fire awoken from its slumber, a resurgence that engulfed him whole. He exhaled, and pulled with all of his strength.

Her screams cut through the snap of the man's neck.

"You… You- killed him!"

And only when he saw the horror, the detestation in her eyes, did he realize it was directed at him.

* * *

The alarms were blaring when they exited the cell, unbeknownst to them, Poe Dameron managed to unlock every single cell on board the prison barge. The corridors were painted a flashing red, undoubtedly caused by the events that triggered the previous explosion.

The two of them ran down the abandoned hallways, they kept close to the ground, hugging the walls, trying to avoid the slightest hint of danger.

She ran silently alongside him, but he noticed the wary distance she kept between them both. He felt her anxiety, but also the discomposure as to the two lives he had taken. Her feelings overwhelmed her, rolling off in waves, the dread, the fear, it was intoxicating. He looked at his fingers, they wasn't trembling, his heart wasn't pounding. Everything he did, the lives he taken, they all felt almost too… natural. A calming darkness that seeped at his fingertips, waiting to be embraced.

They made haste in the direction of the hanger, guided more by emerging memories than the Force. He had vague memories of once walking along the same hallways aboard such a ship; the cries and screams of those that were kept within such walls were unsettling, but he wasn't a prisoner, instead the man that placed most of them there. The memory was distant, questionable, but the layouts of both ships were almost too similar.

If she wondered how he knew his way inside of the prison barge, it wasn't something that she brought up.

**.**

* * *

**.**

Rey followed him silently down the corridors, trying to suppress the multitude of conflicting emotions that quickly arose in the aftermath of their escape. They were smothering her, the thoughts and the images of Anakin's lifeless eyes before the guard's neck was snapped unnaturally to the side. She tried convincing herself that desperate measures were needed, that their lives were in danger. But she knew otherwise, that the guard was already disarmed, he was all but incapacitated, that no matter how much she tried to assure herself otherwise, he killed the two guards in cold blood.

She must have been so desperate to find a friend in such a place, she persuaded herself from the truth, she dispelled her own initial doubts. But her fears were correct, his actions only further reaffirmed her suspicions; the man was dangerous, more so than she initially thought.

But even so, he seemed to know the layouts of the prison barge, and she assumed it was from his time spent on this ship, perhaps from before he was transferred into isolation. And as dangerous as he was, there seemed to be something of higher priority than harming her - his escape.

Until they were freed of this ship, she had no other choice but to follow him. But upon her first chance to do so, they would go on their separate paths.

As they reached the ship's hanger, a multitude of whitened bolts erupted around them, forcing the two to quickly find cover. A platoon of Stormtroopers fired at them from the levels above, their weapon's projectile a contrast from the usual red.

They were using stunning rounds, they wanted to take them both alive.

There was a single undocked Corvette-class Patrol ship by the side of the hanger, but they were pinned down, they couldn't get to it without entering the line of fire.

"I will draw their fire." he turned towards her, "when I say go, run in the direction of the ship."

"Wait, I-"

"There is no time to wait!"

 _What if he intended to use her as bait instead?_ She realized that she could no longer trust him, her legs were rooted firmly to the ground.

"Go!" but he couldn't read her mind and see her doubts, and as he shouted, he shot in the direction of the Stormtroopers, exactly as he said he would. He drew the blaster bolts away from her, and she quickly darted off towards the ship. She did not look back, her gaze focused fully onto the ship's loading ramp, nothing else existed between her and her destination. Her heart thumped in her chest with each further step, her lungs were on fire, yet she ran with all of her might.

It grew closer and closer, and just before she could feel the ship's loading ramp beneath her feet, she felt something forcefully colliding against her back, propelling her off her feet. For a moment, she floated through the air, then she crashed back down, painfully rolling across the ground before coming to a stop.

She tried to pick herself up, but she couldn't move, not at all. It was like her entire body had shut down, her extremities frozen in place; she couldn't even breathe. She must have been hit by a stray bolt, the area of impact squarely around the back of her chest, it must have affected her lungs as well. She was unable to draw oxygen, an agonizing constriction of her chest. She gasped and heaved, but her lungs still did not work.

Then, he was there, kneeling beside her. Her eyes tore towards his, a panicking plea for help, only to be granted a vacant stare in response.

And as the growing darkness quickly enveloped her vision, the last thing she saw before she was overcome by blackness, was of him, leaving her.


	4. Chapter 4

He remembered the countless times he had been chastised by Obi-Wan, and as Anakin leapt in the direction of the firing Stormtroopers, he realized that he was as stubborn as ever. There were a dozen different paths he could have taken, but with his tendency to rush headfirst into danger without first properly analyzing his position, he chose the most direct path. There were certainly safer routes, but he took the most obvious one; he would draw their fire, ensuring her safe passage towards the ship.

His movements had been severely restricted in the months that he had spent inside of his enclosed cell, but he moved like a well-trained soldier, the Force gathering around him as he leapt swiftly over the structures that were providing shelter, shouting at his companion to run as he shot forward with incredible celerity.

They were using stunning rounds, but he avoided them as he would a fatal shot, darting through a multitude of nearing projectiles as he dashed across the hanger. He tore a quick glance in the direction of his previous cellmate, noticing that she was quickly closing the distance between her and the unguarded ship. He just needed to bring her a little bit more time.

Turning towards the closest squadron, he ran in the direction of the four firing Stormtroopers; the released salvo of energized bolts seemingly slowing down with time as he allowed the Force to flow through his consciousness. He weaved effortlessly through the hail of stunning fire, closing the distance in seconds. The closest Stormtrooper brought up his weapon, trying to readjust his aim, but Anakin ignored him completely, knowing fully well that the long barreled stun-gun was ineffectual in close ranged combat.

He leapt and landed before the second Stormtrooper, his body coiling downwards, using a springing momentum to smash the heel of his palm against the armored soldier. It sent the man reeling backwards, and as the other three fired upon Anakin's position, he was suddenly no longer there.

He spun through the air, his elbow whipping across the face-plate of the previous guard, cracking its face-guard as he pivoted and swept the man's leg from under him. For a moment, the guard was suspended in mid-air, before crashing painfully down onto the floor.

He felt a surge in the Force, a warning that had him ducking without even looking at the remaining two Stormtroopers, escaping their blaster fire as he rolled towards the previously fallen soldier, picking up a discarded weapon and firing at the two. He took one down almost instantly, the other dodging before firing back with deadly intent.

As the incoming bolt tore through the weapon that he held, it left a smoking hole in its center. Anakin realized that they were no longer trying to stun. He leapt towards the remaining Stormtrooper, his hand roughly deflecting the blaster to the side, allowing him to get closer before his palm pressed onto the Stormtrooper's chest. His touch was gentle, but his push was infused with the strength of the Force, an invisible wave of energy that propelled the man off his feet, sending him flying across the hanger.

He wasn't granted reprieve, as another platoon of Stormtroopers quickly arrived at the hanger, followed by another as they released wave after wave of reddened streaks that arced hazardously in his direction. He felt the familiar swelling of darkness within him as anger came, and he half contemplated running in the direction of the arriving Stormtroopers, but as he noticed the slumped female across the hanger, he decided otherwise.

Guided by the Force, he gracefully dodged the incoming bolts without even glancing in their direction, his feet in nimble steps as he headed towards the fallen figure. He stopped by her side, sliding to a halt on his knees. He grabbed onto her shoulders and rolled her upwards, and as their eyes caught, he realized that she was still alive; she must have been struck by a stunning bolt.

He turned and leapt away just as the spot where he previously stood erupted into a wave of energy. Ignoring the unmoving female, he started to run up the ship's ramp before stopping at its entrance. He turned back towards her, every instinct telling him to leave, to escape with his life intact. But there remained something that held him back, a part of his soul that bravely resisted the darkness. He pushed back the seething annoyance as he leapt in her direction, his arms wrapping firmly underneath her shoulders as he lifted her from the ground.

He rested her across his shoulders, allowing her to slump downwards as he lifted her in a fireman's carry. Adjusting her weight, he was running in the direction of the ship when he felt a stray bolt glancing across the side of his calf, the sharp pain sending him into an angered growl. Ignoring the growing pain and the sudden numbness of his body, he started to limp towards the ship, before another smashed into the back of his shoulder, staggering him forward, but he did not fall.

A powerful aura resided strongly around him, the darkness pulling him into a protective embrace. It gave him strength, guiding his final steps into the ship before losing all strength and collapsing onto the floor. He dragged his way to the cockpit, and while unfamiliar with the ship's design, he was able to gauge its control from the many similar ships that he once flew.

He activated the ship's defense mechanisms, generating a force field that harmlessly absorbed the blaster projectiles. He pulled himself into the pilot's seat, taking a second to comprehend the ship's complicated controls before activating the flight panel. There was a resonating mumble as the thrusters came to life. Rotating the ship on its axis, Anakin activated the weapons system before releasing a salvo of missiles in the direction of the prison barge's hull.

The explosion tore a hole to the outside, the fire quickly extinguished by the vacuum of space. He initialized the forward thrust, a quick acceleration as they soon exited the prison barge, entering the vast expanse of space in their stolen ship.

Heading back to check on his still unconscious companion, it was only then he realized that she wasn't breathing. His military training came back to him instinctively, and he placed the heel of his hand across her chest, the other above, his elbows straight, his breathing controlled as he started to apply chest compressions.

He counted thirty, before tilting her head back and gently lifting her chin. He pinched her nostrils shut and leaned downwards, sealing her mouth with his as he breathed into her airway. He watched the rise of her chest before attempting another breath, followed by the resuming of chest compressions.

On the third cycle, her body heaved violently forward, her mouth parting as she gasped painfully for air. He fell backwards in exhaustion, watching silently as she broke into a coughing fit. When she eventually regained her composure, she looked at him with tired eyes.

"You didn't leave me," she whispered.

He did not reply, but got up onto his feet instead, a painful grimace as he studied the wounds inflicted on him. The one that grazed across the back of his leg left a jarring streak of red, a painful limp with each step. The other was a clean shot, it tore through the exposed flesh of his shoulder, luckily missing all his major arteries.

But as the adrenaline slowly dissipated, he noticed his weakening stance, his eyes felt heavier with each passing second. He pulled at his ripped clothing, realizing that the wound had not closed on its own, he was still bleeding, profusely so. He fell to his knees, a loud thud that had her scrambling beside him, as worried eyes found his, before falling upon the gaping wound by the side of his shoulder.

She ran into the ship's living quarters, hurriedly pulling apart every cupboard and drawer until finding a first-aid kit. Returning to his side, she dug through the box before finding an unused stimpak that contained a decent dose of bacta.

She pressed the tip of the stimpack against his wound, "This is going to hurt."

His body tensed painfully as the needle penetrated his mangled flesh in order to deliver its contents. Bacta was a synthesized chemical substance that promoted rapid tissue regeneration, while preventing the emergence of scar tissue. Being effective against almost every form of injury and ailment, Anakin was soon clear of any danger. She applied it to his calf next, and by the time she applied bandages to his wounds, most of the pain had already subsided.

"I'm sorry," she said afterwards, the two of them sitting quietly across the other in the ship's living quarters. They had decided to explore the ship a little; it was a small transport-class ship, designed to haul cargo quickly across systems. The cargo hull was empty, its contents undoubtedly unloaded upon arriving on the prison barge. Most of the ship was redesigned to haul more weight and for speed, leaving little left for comfort. Connected to the cockpit, was a small living area with bare essential; a single bed and a small dining table. There were kitchen utensils, but they couldn't find any food on board the ship.

"What for?" he asked, turning his attention away from the navigation charts.

"You got shot because of me, didn't you?" her face was downcast, she couldn't find the strength to look him in the eye. She remembered the apprehension that she felt, the misgivings that she had. Most of her suspicions were justified, but even so, he risked his life for her, and she didn't know what to feel.

"You patched me up well," he replied nonchalantly, completely missing the emotional distress in her voice. "We're even."

"But-"

"We got bigger problems than that." He tapped onto the datapad that was connected to the ship's navigation systems, bringing up a holographic image of its status. "We're running low on fuel."

"The ship must have just arrived before the commotion started," she muttered, "they didn't have time to refuel it. That would explain why it was unguarded and not docked."

She looked at the star charts, she did not recognize any of the listed planets, "Do we have enough fuel to land? Are we close to any inhabited zones?"

"Yes and no," he replied, enlarging a holographic world of green. "Luckily for us, the closest planet has a breathable atmosphere. But I don't think its inhabited."

"Qxr-214," she read its name off the star chart.

"It's cataloged as a Class-E planet," his eyes darted across the scrolling text of information.

"Class-E?" She might have flown before, but she knew nothing about the classification of planets. It wasn't something that she came across in Jakku.

"Planet classifications," he explained, "it takes various factors into consideration, such as atmospheric composition, surface temperature, vegetation life and native species. Class-A would be something like a capital planet viable of sustaining life. The lower the chart goes, the less inhabitable the planet becomes. Class-F would determine a planet incapable of sustaining life, requiring an artificial bio-system of some kind."

"Class-E is cutting pretty close isn't it?" she said.

He nodded, "There is little information I can find about the planet, but there is a deserted Imperial spaceport located on map, hopefully we can find the proper equipment to refuel."

He paused for a moment, "There is a reason why the planet was deserted. We should be careful."

She agreed.

**.**

* * *

**.**

It was a day's trip; any longer, and they would have ran out of fuel, finding themselves drifting across space at the mercy of the cosmos.

The drawer she opened was disappointingly empty, as were the dozens that were before. She was starving, and there was nothing on board the ship to consume. Anakin had given her the bed, and was now sprawled across a bundle of cushions in rest. He seemed so peaceful, a vast contrast from the darkness that she felt just mere hours ago.

She didn't know what to think of him, and with everything else happening so quickly and chaotically around her, there just wasn't enough time to properly contemplate her situation. She studied his sleeping form, wondering of his thoughts, his past. The man was shrouded in mystery, a puzzling enigma she couldn't quite comprehend. She wanted to run as far away as she could, yet she didn't want him to leave. She was annoyed by the conflicting thoughts that constantly bothered her. When she could no longer stand them, she tucked herself into the uncomfortable bed and forced herself to sleep.

When the alarm she set beeped after a few hours, the first thing she noticed was how quiet her surroundings were. Gone were the whirling of the ship's engines, the beeping of its many navigation systems. For a moment, she was afraid that they had miscalculated their fuel, and were now drifting aimlessly across space.

That was until she headed into the cockpit, and was greeted by a world of towering green; magnificent trees in shades of different green and brown that disappeared into the unseen skies above. A smile broke out at the sight, and Rey hurriedly exited the ship, as the faded leaves that blanketed the forest soon crunched underneath her feet.

She lifted her face to the skies, as the ebbing twilight slipped between the canopy's cracks and danced across her skin. She inhaled deeply, delighted at the earthy aroma around her; a pleasant warmness, a stark contrast from Jakku's dry humidity.

Following the leaving sunlight that filtered through the trees above, she followed the golden luminescence deeper into the forest; it was solemnly quiet, the trees were utterly still, there wasn't the chirp of birds, nor the playful whispers of wind. But it was hauntingly beautiful, a most chilling sight. It felt like she was disturbing the eternal slumber of the forest, its surroundings in an awakening solely for her to witness its beauty.

It was impossible to traverse quietly across the forest floor, so she allowed the constant cracking of leaves to accompany her path, a faint rustling with each step, drowned out soon by the sound of moving water. She pushed against a wall of green, breaking through the embrace of softened leaves as pebbles met the soles of her boots. The warm glow of the setting sun painted the visible lake in an alluring mix of blue, as an inviting breeze rippled its surface, before caressing her loosely tied hair.

She noticed him sitting there, by an overturned log near the lake's surface, his feet dangling inches from the end of the water's path. He noticed her approaching presence, and turned when she neared, "I didn't want to wake you."

"I could have helped you with the landing," she smiled sheepishly.

He motioned to the spot beside him, and she took a seat, "Wasn't too hard."

"Droids and ships," she grinned, "what are you, a mechanic?"

"I like to tinker," his eyes glimmered softly as he looked towards the peaceful horizon, "it helps clear my head, allows me to think."

It was something they both had in common. It was how she coped during the rougher sandstorms on Jakku, taking apart and putting the droids back together had always managed to calm her troubled heart.

"We have water," he pointed towards the lake, "I've tested its mineral level, it's safe for drinking. Now, we just need to find food and proper shelter."

"We are not staying on the ship?" she asked.

"The planet is classified under Class-E for a reason. The ship is too vulnerable and exposed, we're like painted targets." He removed the datapad he took from the ship and showed her the planet's map. It wasn't fully charted, he had no idea of the distance between locations and most of the topography was done so in a hasty manner, "We still have to travel to the imperial spaceport."

She nodded, agreeing with all that he said.

They were quiet for a while, until she looked towards the captivating scenery and said with a soft voice, "Until recently, I've only seen worlds of such beauty in my dreams."

He turned towards her, "My younger self would have never believed in a place like this, with trees of such height, capable of blocking out the sun. He would be amazed by the lake too, we only had moisture farms on Tatooine."

He thought for a bit, "I wonder if there's fish in there."

"Fish?" she asked questioningly, seemingly unaware of what he was referring to.

"Yes, fish." It was only afterwards did he realize that she did not know what fishes were.

**.**

* * *

**.**

Not wanting to put themselves into unnecessary risks, they headed back to the ship by nightfall, returning only the next morning.

Anakin had his boots off and the hems of his trousers rolled upwards as he stepped into the lake. He held a makeshift spear in one hand, crudely fashioned from the remnants of a fallen branch. He waded slowly into the lake, as Rey stood nervously by; she was never taught how to swim, and in the presence of such a huge body of water, as breath-takingly beautiful as it was, still frightened her.

"Are you sure it's safe?" she called out to him when the water came up to his hips. She was afraid that he was going to be swallowed by the lake.

He was about to reply when he saw something weaving between the submerged plants. He allowed the Force to flow through him, guiding him as he lifted the spear. He tracked the creature's movement, before stabbing his makeshift weapon through the surface of the lake.

When he returned to shore minutes later, he held a creature that reminded him of the lobsters he had caught back on Naboo a lifetime ago; except the one he just caught was almost twice the size of his forearm, and had four claws instead of two.

It was amusing how repulsed his companion seemed. There was a certain hint of innocence in her movements, a sort of naivety that came from her lack of exposure to the outside worlds. Being isolated on Jakku, and living most of her life in seclusion, she truly had little idea of how things worked.

"How are we going to eat… that?" she muttered, unconvinced of the delicacy that he just caught.

He chuckled at her response, "I am going to deshell it, make a fire, then cook it."

"What did you think?" he smiled, "that we're going to eat it raw?"

She blushed, having never cooked actual food before other than her rations, that was exactly what she had thought.

**.**

* * *

**.**

Rey squatted amusedly beside him as he attempted to start a fire with two pieces of dried wood. The base was a log that he found, and the catalyst a thinner branch which he was currently rubbing between his palms, creating tiny whiffs of smoke as friction soon gave way to a small flame. He instantly huddled close, kindling the flame until it grew to a decent size.

They huddled around the flame afterwards, each holding a separate rock; he taught her how to break the lobster out of its shell, she was a quick learner, and the two of them quickly started going at it. Peeling off the claws, he made a small crack on each end, a technique he learned from a Nabooian local many years ago. He did not entirely remove the flesh, but kept it inside the shell to preserve its flavor.

He wished he had a little seasoning to add to the lobster, and he was sure he could make something from the fruits that he saw on his original reconnaissance. But most were from an unknown origin, and accidentally consuming poisonous food because he wanted to add a little flavor to his meal, wasn't the brightest of ideas.

Next, they used a couple of thin branches to pierce through the meat, before sticking the unused end of the branch into the sand, allowing the lobster to roast nicely near the fire. It wasn't long before the delicious aroma started to drift, and soon after, their meal was cooked into a delicious golden brown.

He watched as she peeled a small amount of meat from the tail, a hint of uncertainty as she slipped it between her lips. But as she bit down onto the meat, there was an instantaneous effect, as a wide grin overcame her initial hesitancy.

"Delicious!" she gasped, before jamming another piece into her mouth.

He laughed softly at the sight, and for a moment, it was almost as though they weren't stranded on a deserted planet.

**.**

* * *

**.**

Thousands of miles above them, a lone Imperial ship entered the planet's atmosphere, guided by the flight transponder from the stolen ship they were tracking. As they descended upon the ship's location, Captain Phasma prepared the twelve Stormtroopers that she brought along; they were her bravest and fiercest warriors, and they will not fail in their mission to recapture the escaped prisoners.


	5. Chapter 5

Rey stood by the water's edge, the seeping tide a playful tickle against her naked soles. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders and her eyes were filled with a mixture of intense concentration and determination.

The lake scared her and the last thing she wanted was to be swallowed by its seemingly unending expanse. She complained initially, but he eventually managed to convince her otherwise, that if anything were to have happened to him, she should at least learn how to find her own food in order to survive.

She waddled deeper into the lake, the cold liquid splashing uncomfortably against her skin, threatening to topple her over and submerging her in its icy grasp. She swallowed nervously, her grip tightening around the makeshift spear, hoping that she could encounter and capture a lobster before she was required to enter the deeper portions of the lake.

The water soon came to her thighs and she was still not much closer to finding a single lobster. She tried to calm herself, to feel the Force surging through the gorgeous scenery around her. It filled her with strength, and she took a step deeper, her weapon raised before lancing into the darkened waters beneath.

The water came up to her chest as she retrieved her weapon, an impaled lobster at its end. She squealed with delight and shouted at Anakin, who stared amusedly from the shoreline.

**.**

* * *

**.**

He was sitting by the water's edge, sharpening one of his spears with the lobster's claw. She might have gotten comfortable in her surroundings, but he remained skeptical, a natural distrust he couldn't detach from his inner paranoia. It wasn't a simple off and on switch, but an intensity he developed in his many years of fighting.

A primal fear that existed within him, an anxiety he could not suppress. So he endured in constant vigilance, preparing for whatever dangers that might present themselves. Most of the forest remained otherwise undisturbed, but he wanted to always be prepared, regardless it being an attacking foe or a wild animal. They had no idea what they would encounter in the deeper portions of the forest.

While Rey fished, he spent most of his afternoon testing the toxicity of the fruits he had gathered, a variety of different colors and shapes. He remembered his training, a lifetime ago, him and his master, left on a deserted planet. A test, for them to survive the week, with nothing else but one another. He couldn't remember the face of his master, but the man's lessons were forever.

He knew they couldn't stay by the lake forever, and if they couldn't find a stable source of food as they trekked deeper into the forest, a journey that would undoubtedly take days if not weeks, they would have no other choice but to consume the fruits that he found. Harvesting them early and testing their toxicity would prove to be an advantage in the long run.

He plucked one of the purple colored berries, pressing it against his wrist for a few short minutes. When satisfied with its lack of irritation on his skin, he repeated the procedure by pressing it against his lips, then his tongue. He sliced off a small chunk next, which he chewed for a long while before spitting out. When there was nothing harmful derived from his actions, he swallowed a small amount and made a mental note of the fruit that he ingested.

If he were to still remain healthy in eight hours' time, then he would mark the fruit as edible and move on to the next. The berry tasted sweet and juicy, he was quite sure Rey would enjoy it.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

He trained her next, as she requested. She did not know the extent of his abilities, but from the way he fought, she assumed he had military training of some kind. Her companion remained taciturn of his past, but she had her suspicions. There were many times when she caught herself staring at him, lost in the fantasies of his possible past.

She imagined him as a soldier of some kind, hardened by his experiences, molded by his many battles. She could see it in the little things that he did, the way he was in constant awareness of his surroundings, the skills that he employed so effortlessly to make their survival more comfortable; the spear, the hunting of food, the fire, the cooking.

She might have lived the majority of her life in a sequestered part of the galaxy, but she wasn't entirely ignorant. She learns quickly, and she has a wild imagination. The initial thoughts were of him being a senior Republic officer, captured by the First Order. But that quickly came to pass when she realized he did not know what the Resistance was. Next, she thought he was part of the Galactic Empire, perhaps a ranking officer that was disgraced by a failed mission, or someone that chose to defect and was captured, thus locked into captivity, the keys thrown away.

There were thoughts of him being a smuggler too, which came from his knowledge of ships, droids and escape routes. Then there came the more ridiculous theories; a captured prince, held for political reasons; a forgotten Jedi, who discarded his identity in order to survive.

But then she remembered the men that he killed in cold blood, and suddenly, the thought of him being a Jedi seemed even less probable.

She asked him to spar on the second day, he was surprised by her request, but he seemed equally interested in their training session. He offered her one of his crafted spears, but she declined, opting for a lengthy branch she found on the forest floor. It resembled the staff she wielded back on Jakku, albeit weaker and not as sturdy.

They stood across from the other by the forest's clearing, her weapon twirled gracefully between fingers as he stood with his wooden spears, one in each hand. She started to circle around him, trying to gauge an estimation of the man's movement and range. She knew she had an advantage in length; her weapon had a longer reach than his.

She stepped forward, her staff in a calculated spin. He took a step back, but her attack was merely a feint. She grinned at his reaction as she pivoted in the other direction, and arced towards his exposed length, only for him to spin in the opposite direction, a spear deflecting her thrust, the other poking lightly against the side of her ribs.

He was smiling, "I am not going to fall for something as simple as a feint."

She huffed and repositioned herself, trying to restrategize for her next move. But he didn't allow her much of a chance to think, his body suddenly leaping forward, his two spears aiming for her weapon. They clashed noisily, sending fallen leaves fluttering with each heavy step they took.

It wasn't long before she felt herself stumbling to the side, losing balance as his spear greeted her with another light poke. She wiped at her gathering sweat, even though she wasn't even the slightest bit close to matching his strength, she found herself quite enjoying their little sparring session.

Brushing away the leaves that clumped onto her clothing when he tripped her, she gritted her teeth together, "I'm going to hit you at least once before the end of the day."

"You can try, but-" before he could finish his sentence, she darted towards him, her staff swinging in his direction. He dodged the blow, his weapon lifted in a guarded parry, preparing for her secondary move. He had memorized the pattern of her attack, but this time, it went a little differently than he predicted. Her staff shot towards him, but drifted downwards at the last possible second before it came into contact with his weapon, instead digging its wooden tip into the forest floor, sending a blanket of leaves in his direction.

He staggered backwards as he was suddenly pelted by a mixture of mud and leaves, just as she came bursting out from its center, her weapon lancing towards his chest. He wasn't prepared for such a sudden attack, but instinct took over as he swerved away from her nearing reach, his feet digging firmly into the ground as he pushed away the incoming staff with his own weapon, utilizing her forward momentum to send her tumbling across the forest floor.

She tripped over his foot, but before she could fully topple over, she reached out blindly and found a firm grip onto his sleeve, pulling him down along with her. The two of them ended up lying beside the other, staring into the above canopy. He frowned at her "strategy," and was about to point it out when she suddenly poked him with her finger.

He turned towards her in confusion, just as she exploded into laughter.

"Got you once!"

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

_She was dying; and he was screaming._

_The darkness descended upon the two in suffocating waves, a visible gathering of overbearing vehemence. He pushed desperately against the obfuscated gloom, an inefficacious attempt; she remained out of reach, just beyond his hopeless grasp. He was growling in frustration, a seeded anger that swelled fervidly from within him, the darkness grew as his emotions flared, and in return, she screamed even louder._

_Rooted in place, there was little Anakin could do but watch as she was lifted into the air, by an invisible arm that clasped mercilessly around her neck. It tightened, and she started to scratch desperately at the invisible grip, but she was granted neither clemency nor reprieve. Her eyes turned towards him, pleading, begging, he could see the starting flickers of her remaining strength, like a dying flame, their final embers soon lost to the emptiness beyond._

_He was screaming, begging for whoever it was to stop; she was dying, and there was nothing he could do. He fought with every ounce of his remaining strength. He screamed and he clawed. The grip tightened, a weak gasp, and she went entirely limp. She slumped to the ground, her life extinguished, only heartbrokenness remained in her lifeless eyes, remaining fragments of her that further disintegrated with each passing second._

_He reached out to her, trying to prevent her fading presence, only to realize his fleshless arm was pointed in her direction the entire time. The same coiling grip that took her life; he was the one that killed her._

He screamed against the enveloping darkness, its tendrils suffocating his every orifice. Yet before it could fully consume him whole, he felt the disenthralling touch of another. It descended upon his heated flesh, a cooling embrace, a reassuring lightness that kept all his emerging nightmares at bay.

His eyes flickered open at the soothing manifestation, and then, he saw _her_. The woman that haunted his dreams.

"P-Padmé?" he whispered weakly, almost pleading for it to be so.

_"Ani… My dearest Ani. It's okay, you're okay. I'm always here with you."_

An angelic whisper, but he couldn't even see her lips move.

"Padmé, don't leave me. I…" His eyes focused, and she was there no longer. Her face started to warp, as a pair of hazeled worry replaced softer brown, as gentler curves morphed into sharper features. He blinked, trying desperately to hold onto the lingering images, but Padmé was no more, and only Rey remained.

She was kneeling beside him, her fingers scrunched tightly into the side of her prison-issued trousers.

"Are you… okay?" she asked softly, he could hear the apparent concern in her voice, "you were… you were screaming."

He exhaled softly, pulling himself up into a sitting position. He was drenched entirely in sweat. "It was… just a bad dream." He looked away, unable to meet her worried gaze, "I'm sorry… for waking you up."

"You don't have to apologize," she replied, her hand slowly reaching for his shoulder, wanting to give him a reassuring squeeze. But she paused before she could, unsure of whether it was her place to do so. Eventually, her hands returned hesitantly to her own.

Instead, she sat down beside him, her legs curled to her chest, her chin resting on her leg. It was late in the night and in order to avoid detection, the ship's engines were entirely deactivated. The living quarter was dimly lit only by the fluorescent rocks they found by the lake's shore, the feeble lighting casting towering shadows behind the shivering male.

"Is it… her?" she asked, "the one you spoke of in your sleep." In the many nights she had laid awake in their bunk, in too much pain from her injuries to fall asleep, she would hear him in a fitful slumber, the pained mutterings of the woman's name.

She whispered from memory, "Padmé."

His chest constricted agonizingly at the name, his gaze tearing towards her. "What did you say?"

She felt an immediate heaviness in the Force, an unpleasantness that evaporated as quickly as it arrived, leaving behind nothing but whiffs of its stench. "You were screaming her name," her voice shook as she explained, as though afraid of articulating her own thoughts. "Like the many nights you did before."

"Why didn't you say anything?" he pressed his face into his palm, his knuckles digging painfully into his temples.

"Because we all have our nightmares," she whispered, "and it isn't my place to tell you otherwise."

They were quiet for a long while, until he spoke again, his voice softer than before, his words deliberate and slow, "I… I saw… her dying."

There were dozens of questions on her mind, but she remained quiet and allowed him to continue.

"But her… her death. It… It isn't…" he struggled, unable to find the proper words, "her death, it… isn't as I remembered." His head tilted upwards, and she could see the painful conflict that shone in his eyes, "I don't remember… It didn't happen this way… but yet… I know that it did?" He exhaled heavily, before speaking in a frustrated tone, "My dreams… they are of her… dying. They are… memories, but I don't remember… her dying this way."

"But I know that they aren't dreams, but… memories," he clenched his eyes shut, "I don't understand… but each time she dies… I see her die twice, each as real as I remember. But… it couldn't be, how could she die… twice?"

Rey did not understand what he was going through, and there was little she could say. But Anakin seemed content at that moment with only his painful thoughts, so she remained beside him for the rest of the night, a comforting presence for the other, silently in their own thoughts, until the dawn of next morning.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

The eleven of them broke into separate groups; three remained behind to guard their ship, the magnetic interference in the planet's atmosphere made it impossible to signal for outside help, guarding their ship was a priority; the eight that proceeded into the forest moved in two separate groups, one towards higher ground to secure a vantage point and to map out the planet's terrain; the other, led by Phasma herself, was the reconnaissance party, a quiet trek in the direction of the landed cargo-ship.

It took them half a day, but they were soon upon the clearing where the ship silently laid; exposed, but a strategic decision, they couldn't approach without being seen. The four of them were crouched near the edge of the clearing, hidden beneath towering shades of green while Phasma contemplated their next move.

They waited for a long while, but there came zero movement from the stationary vessel. The Stormtrooper captain changed her visor's zoom into thermal imaging, but the infrared radiation was unable to penetrate the ship's hull for her to locate the escaped prisoners.

The ship was built with a particular metal that left it impervious to most modern scanners, a precaution when delivering sensitive material for the First Order. Apparently, it was working against them in this current situation. They had no way of anticipating what was on board, or if they were even still in the vicinity.

But they couldn't wait forever for something to happen. She activated the com-link inside her chromium plated helmet, her command transmitted to all of her squad members. "There are two targets, inmate 1415-B and 1241-G, a male and female humanoid. We are to capture 1241-G and return her to General Hux alive. This is a retrieval mission, do not, I repeat, do not shoot to kill."

"Ma'am, what about 1415-B?"

She thought for a long while, "Take the shot if necessary."

* * *

_The first thing Phasma noticed as she entered the command bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer, was a flustered Hux, prancing impatiently across the length of the Finalizer's bridge. His face was flushed red and the man was clearly agitated, undoubtedly by the recent escape of high priority targets on board the prison barge – Quietus._

_The general was a charismatic man, he certainly had a way with his words, but he was as patient as a starving rancor wanting to feed, and it clearly showed in his bumbling manner. She respected him, but at the same time, she felt he was too young and inexperienced._

_She had just returned from Quietus, where they had spent the last two days subduing the remaining prisoners that wouldn't relent until death. They managed to quench the rioting, but they had lost many valuable men in return, along with the escape of a few key prisoners. One in particular, had sent the young general into a twitchy mood._

_A Force sensitive prisoner that was supposed to be secured until Supreme Leader Snoke's return from the outer rim worlds. The supreme leader won't take lightly to the escape of his prisoner and with Kylo Ren going transmission-dark in order to hunt down the remaining Resistance forces, General Hux was the one placed in charge of retrieving the escaped prisoner._

_"General," she saluted as he noticed her arrival, but he didn't bother with the pleasantries, waving her over to the holo-table instead. He enlarged the images of their two escaped targets, a rotating 360 degree view with scrolling texts of information underneath. "1241-G is the important one," he pointed towards the image of the young female, "she is the Force sensitive we captured on Q'Dar. Your prime objective is to capture her alive, it is imperative to the First Order's triumph."_

_She knew it was not because of the First Order, but more of the man's fear of failing Snoke, but she remained silent, her thoughts only for herself. She studied the little information they managed to obtain on their targets, but her attention was drawn more towards the secondary figure. "What about him?"_

_"1415-B," Hux replied in an unremarkable manner, "they were cellmates before and seen escaping together. He is nobody, just someone in the right place at the right time."_

_"Does he have ties to the Resistance as well?"_

_"No," Hux crossed his arms behind his back and huffed in a tiresome manner, not sharing the same interest in the secondary target as Phasma. But unlike him, Phasma had studied every meticulous detail of the targets escape, from the path they took, to the specific way the man had fought and overpowered her fully equipped Stormtroopers. She knew he wasn't a prisoner that was just 'at the right place at the right time', he was very well-trained, managing to disarm her men with only his bare fist._

_If she were to go after him, she wanted to be prepared._

_"He was picked up a year ago by a Stormtrooper patrol sent to investigate Imperial Space section AZ-881."_

_"AZ-881… Isn't that the mining station?" she asked. She wasn't involved, but she heard the rumors; the decimation of an entire civilian mining colony, hundreds dead. There wasn't a single survivor, at least that was what she had heard._

_"Yes," he scrolled through the text, "the massacre of Hoxantt outpost. As he was the only survivor found alive in the carnage, and without proper identification, he was suspected to be involved in the attack."_

_"Was he?"_

_"The investigation was a dead end. He lost most of his memories, or something like that, the notes aren't too clear." Hux pulled up the prisoner's records, "After three months of vigorous interrogations and still not procuring any results, they moved High Inquisitor Yonnix onto his next task." He brought up another file, "There were recent abundances of increased pirate activity in the sector before the attack… must have been pirates."_

_Phasma did not agree. She extended the information they had on Hoxantt outpost, further confirming that while it was a civilian colony, the mining outpost was heavily fortified, even by Imperial standards, unlikely to have been ran over by a pirating crew. The lack of distress calls were another implicating factor, things weren't as simple as they seem._

_She memorized the details of both targets, 1415-B might not be her prime objective, but the man was a dangerous factor nonetheless. The quicker she could remove him from the equation, the better._

* * *

They approached the ship by foot, cautiously with their bodies kept low amongst the tall grass. She signaled to her men, two of them flanking to the sides while one followed her down the front, pushing forward in an attacking formation.

They came to a stop by the bottom of the ship's ramp, their weapons loaded and aimed with precision at the locked entrance. She motioned forward with her free arm, the Stormtrooper that followed her headed up the ramp, stopping in front of the lock-pad.

He turned towards her, she nodded before he extended a cable from his arm's datapad, plugging it into the side of the control panel. The light turned from red to green immediately, and as it did, an explosion tore through the side of the ship, propelling the Stormtrooper off his feet as the ensuring wave of heat sent Phasma reeling backwards, the exiting shrapnel missing her by inches.

She knew that the Stormtrooper was dead before she even managed to check on his vitals. The impact of the explosion tore cleanly through the man's plated armor, the jagged pieces of metal leaving gaping holes in his chest. She cursed silently, she was the one that sent him to his death, they underestimated their targets, she should had been more careful.

Her grip tightened around the base of her blaster, she would follow her targets into the depths of the forest and given the chance, her fallen comrade would be dutifully avenged.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

Miles away into the forest, the two noticed the faraway explosion, a prominent sound-wave that accompanied a ballooning cloud of grey smoke. Their escape was mostly a mixture of luck and his habitual paranoia. The ship that they managed to steal, was built with a powerful sensory array, used to detect and avoid nearby ships before their own detection, no doubt installed for its smuggling purposes.

It was his insistency in checking the scanners every hour or so, that allowed them to spot the approaching party. During his usual morning check, he noticed a reddened blip miles away from their location; there was a chance of it being a wild animal of some kind, but they couldn't risk that chance. So they packed immediately, salvaging what they could before starting their trek into the forest; not before he rigged the ship to explode upon future tampering.

He assumed that they were being hunted by Imperial soldiers, no other would follow them into such a place. Their journey would be tough, they had only a single outdated map with no proper topographical data to rely on. They couldn't find shelter either, they had to keep moving, or risk being caught up.


	6. Chapter 6

The first thing he noticed as they stepped into the forest's clearing, was the lack of stars in the skies above. Their journey had taken them a full day's trek, and it was apparent in her movements how affected she was by the fatigue. The both of them were exhausted, but neither rest nor sleep were luxuries they could afford at this moment. They endured persistently, pushing through their tired bodies, knowing that in order to survive, they had to outrun the men that hunted them.

There were initial doubts that the scanners might have picked up the presence of wild animals instead, but in order to further test that theory, he had set a trap in the ship's security system, rigging it to blow upon tampering; it wasn't something that wild animals could do. They didn't know who came across their ship, but there were various possibilities, ranging from Imperial soldiers to bounty hunters, perhaps even smugglers or pirates that had set up camp on this planet; none of those factions they were particularly interested in meeting.

As they exited the forest's tree line, they came across an empty field, completely devoid of life and vegetation. A barren piece of land, their boots leaving the muddied forest floor and coming upon jagged rocks. Across from them, on the other side of the gravelly field, was a myriad of towering trees that stood almost as tall as some of the grandest citadels he had seen on Coruscant.

A caliginous forest that stretched across his horizons, and it was only when they came upon higher ground, that they noticed the trees were in a complete shade of white, as though descended upon by a silent winter. The stemming uneasiness grew with each further step they took, the comforting trees they left behind felt like a fleeting oasis, away from a nearing world of white.

They had no other choice but to continue forward, entering the darkened embrace of the colossal trees.

There was a whisper upon their entry, a gentle stirring in the unseen air. It resembled the passing of wind through leaves, but there was neither breeze nor the stirring of leaves. Instead, it felt malicious, like the rearing of a wild animal before it struck. It came strongly through the Force, a warning.

Rey might not have a strong grasp of the Force, but she felt an instant chill, colder than all the ice around them. She stopped and reached for her weapon, as did he. But nothing came, and the air of malevolence soon came to pass.

The trees completely blocked out the skies above, shrouding their incessant paths in perpetual darkness, but all was not lost to the growing shadows of the tree's shade. The snow below glowed, almost in a lambent manner that softly illuminated their surroundings. Anakin reached down and grabbed a handful, a dim coruscation as they slipped through his fingertips.

It wasn't like the rigid ice of Hoth, but snow, a niveous shade of soft white. A forest, of seemingly unending winter.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

They found shelter after another half day's trek, a fallen tree trunk the size of a medium transport ship. Slipping between the cracks in its bark, they found a sheltered interior, dry and protected from the outside weather. He gathered a bit of the glowing snow, giving them the slightest bit of illumination as they found time to rest their weary soles.

They huddled up next to each other, finding warmth in the closure of their bodies; their clothing provided ample insulation, but the prison overalls and the jackets they found on the transport ship couldn't entirely nullify the chilling outside temperature.

"Get some rest," he said, "I will take the first watch."

"I think I'm too cold to fall asleep," she mumbled, "I can't decide on which is worst, the heat of Jakku, or the cold of… whatever this planet is called."

"Qxr-214."

"Yeah that," she sighed. "You know, I've spent most of my life fantasizing what it would be like to leave Jakku and everything else behind. To walk aimlessly into the unknown without as much a plan. But now… now I just want to go back. Safety in familiarity and all that."

"Why couldn't you leave?" he asked, remembering the conversation they had back on the prison barge. "A promise, you said."

She nodded, "Yes, a promise." There was a short pause, as though she was gathering the necessary composure in order to continue, "My parents… They left me on Jakku when I was a child. I think it had something to do with the ongoing galactic war, but honestly, I don't remember much of it."

"I…" her voice trembled, "the reason I stayed… was because they promised to come back to me, so I've been waiting. But… well, it's just… been so long." She exhaled softly, "But promises are meant to be kept, right? So I have to keep on waiting, even if I can no longer remember their faces."

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"What for?"

"Being left alone on Jakku as a child, it must have been tough."

"I survived," she looked away, "the promise was what kept me strong. As hopeless as it may be with each passing day, as long as I had hope, there remains a reason to endure."

"You are stronger than I am," he remembered the day he left Tatooine to start his Jedi training. He had cried in his mother's arm, the thought of being alone in a faraway world terrified him. But his master had always been there, a comforting guidance through his Jedi trials. Compared to her solitary years, his was almost a blessing. "I don't think I would have lasted a week."

"You are just trying to make me feel better," she nudged onto his shoulder, "after all you've done, you can't honestly expect me to believe otherwise."

"I was a child once too," he said softly, "I don't believe in fate, that a person is born destined to become a hero or a villain. I believe it's their experiences and their ordeals that defines them, that molds them into the person they become." He shrugged, "You might not look like much, but you're a lot stronger than you think you are."

"I might not look like much?" she grinned.

"The point is-"

"I know what the point is," she smiled, "I was just teasing you."

Afterwards, they fell into a quiet companionship, an air of lassitude quickly settling over the two. It wasn't long before she found herself unable to keep her eyes open, as exhaustion quickly enveloped her tired bones.

"By the way," she whispered, "thank you for saying that."

Rey tilted her face towards him when he did not reply, only to come across his stilled eyelids and quiet breathing. He was fast asleep, in a quiet serenity, his soft breathing a soothing rhythm. He had wanted to take the first watch, but she did not rouse him from his slumber. Ever since their arrival on this planet, he had been on constant vigilance, barely having much for his own rest. She would help remedy it now, as she slid herself closer towards him for more warmth, eventually falling into a dreamless rest.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

She was the first to notice _them_.

A lone figure, standing between two towering trees, as pale as the snow around them. It was as tall as an armored Stormtrooper; humanoid, with proper anatomy and four sizable limbs. As she approached the figure, she noticed its translucent skin, the lack of any visible muscles across its entire frame; it remained motionless, in an eternal stillness, staring into the darkness ahead.

She called out to it, but there came neither response nor acknowledgement. She was completely alone, Anakin had went ahead to scout a better path around the gaping crevasse that blocked their route. She took another step towards it, her feet sinking softly into the below snow, her previous tracks already obliterated by the next falling layer.

She called out once more, but her voice caught in the middle of her throat, interrupted by a sudden chill that tore frighteningly through her core. She recognized the calling of the Force, a warning.

The figure turned, and the first thing she noticed was the empty sockets it had for eyes. Then it screamed, a painful wail as it revealed the gaping holes in where there should have been teeth; a long and horrifying shriek that echoed loudly around her, before it leapt in her direction.

* * *

He heard the scream, it stopped him entirely in his tracks, a chilling howl that came from between the giant trunks of white. He crouched downwards instantly, making himself a smaller target as his instincts took over. His eyes darted to the trees around him, but all he saw were towering shadows.

The next scream came, but it wasn't from the spine-chilling former, but the recognizable shriek of a fearful female. He reacted immediately, sprinting back in the direction he came from, hoping that he could get back to Rey before she had to face whatever it was that scared her.

He ran as hard as he could, his lungs burning with each further step. As he stumbled upon the clearing where they last made camp, he spotted the creature instantly; it looked like someone threw a blanket of skin over a pile of bones. The creature was feral and Rey was pinned beneath it.

It howled in a horrendous fashion, as though completely overtaken and lost to bloodlust. She raised her arms defensively, and he saw blood splattering across the ground as it swiped ferociously in her direction.

She was in peril and he couldn't get to her in time. He raised an arm towards the creature, the Force quickly gathering at his fingertips. He released the gathered energy in their direction, but as the wave traveled across the space between them both, he saw a brief shimmer in the snow below, before the Force entirely dissipated around him, as though completely absorbed by the lambent snow.

It grew ever brighter.

There was a lurch in his stomach at the utter dispersion of the Force, it felt like the snow itself had managed to nullify his attack.

* * *

The creature slashed again at her, its claws penetrating the fabric of her sleeves and slicing into her arm. The pain was momentarily negated by her adrenaline, but she could tell that the cut was deep from the amount of blood that was leaking down her arm.

The creature lurched backwards as it prepared to strike once more, but Rey was prepared this time round. Her arms deflected its downward slash, using the creature's own momentum to send it reeling forward, its face right into the forward swing of her elbow.

It connected with a loud crack, the creature flinched, but was otherwise unaffected, barely registering the blow that caved its face inward. It shrieked loudly, before returning to her in renewed vigor, until a spear tore through the center of its chest, the creature suddenly lifted into the air, impaled by Anakin's spear.

The screeching grew louder, into a piercing pitch that had her pressing her palms to her ears. The creature struggled, a whitened liquid coursing through its open wound. And when it struggled no longer, the creature started to disintegrate, its body falling apart, melting into the surrounding snow as though it was a part of the forest the entire time.

Only the two of them remained.

**. **

* * *

**. **

**. **

"Don't go," she begged, "don't leave me here."

He pressed his palm against her forehead, it felt ablaze, a sickly heat that flushed across her entire body. She was sweating profusely, and the fabric he had torn from his own clothing in order to use as makeshift bandages were thrown loose in her painful tussles.

Her wounds weren't infected, he made absolute sure of it. They cleaned her injuries quickly and bound them up immediately. She was fine for the first night, until a sudden fever completely ravaged her in the second. Hours before, he noticed her trailing behind, her pace uneven and slow. When he turned towards her, she went completely slack, her eyes rolling as she fell unconscious into the snow below.

He believed it had something to do with the creature that attacked her, perhaps an unnoticed infection that went directly into her bloodstream, a poison of some sort. He had no way of treating her, and their supplies were already running dangerously low. There was nothing he could do but to find shelter and wait for the fever to pass.

"Take me with you…" she whispered, drifting between consciousnesses, "please… I don't want to be alone."

"I'm not going to leave you behind, I'll wait until-"

"Mum… Dad… please…"

He realized she wasn't talking to him, but a memory long passed. She was in a delirious state, but she wasn't entirely incoherent, he understood her hallucinations.

Her hands shot wildly outwards, grasping at the empty space before her, "Ple- please. Don't leave me. I'm so… so cold."

He moved beside her and took her hands in his, feeling her fingers digging sharply into his palm. She curled up against him and he realized she was shivering. He pulled her closer, hoping that it would help alleviate the cold; he held her for a long time, until the trembling settled, and she fell into eventual rest.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

Phasma had fought against wild Rancors and angry Gundarks, she had survived nights on Fyrknock infested asteroids and dodged the fatal stabs of an Acklay's claw, but none of those compared to what she would soon face within the winter forest.

They had tracked the prisoners' movements till the edge of the initial forest, but beyond the frost covered lands, the falling snow quickly eradicated all remaining traces of their existence. She accessed the map they had in the Imperial database, it was outdated, but their destination was quite an obvious one; the abandoned spaceport on the other side of the forest. It was a lengthy trek, but she wasn't worried; her five men platoon was well trained and equipped.

Things were going well, at least until _they_ emerged from the shadows.

More than a dozen of them, faceless creatures that flung themselves from the darkened shadows, a descending symphony of horrifying shrieks as they tore into her men.

She would never forget the blood curdling scream of her dying lieutenant, the man's desperate cries echoing loudly through her helmet's com-link before the gurgling of blood drowned his voice. From the corner of her visor, she saw one of the creatures leaping onto the back of another Stormtrooper, its momentum forcing the man down onto his knees. He never had a chance to even draw his weapon, the creature gripped forcefully onto his helmet and twisted; there was a loud crack as bones snapped, his lifeless body crumpling to the ground soon after.

"W-What is happening!?" Someone shouted, she could hear the fear in his voice, the hardened Stormtrooper seemingly reverting back to a cadet on his first day at the Academy. They were all terrified, rooted in place at the unfolding carnage. But Phasma reacted differently from her men, her composure kept even as her heart thumped wildly in her chest.

Her weapon came alive quickly in her hands. "Return fire! Fire! ..."

In an instance, the awakening of automatic blaster fire erupted loudly across the quiet forest, the well placed bolts tearing right through the approaching figures. Her aiming was impeccable, the projectiles cleanly penetrating the chest of the closest creature, tearing through sinew and bones, but all she accomplished was in staggering its movements. Other than the thin trail of white that dripped from its wounds, the creature seemed otherwise unaffected.

"Their legs, shoot out their legs!" she commanded, her voice barely audible over the blaster fire. A few of the creatures quickly went down, their legs shot out from beneath them, but they continued to crawl towards the remaining Stormtroopers, dragging themselves across the forest floor as they shrieked and howled in growing volumes.

Someone beside her screamed, and she instinctively rolled away just as one of the creatures landed where she previously stood. Another wave appeared behind them, they were completely surrounded.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

When Rey woke the next day, the first thing she became aware of was the proximity of their resting bodies. She was curled up against him, her head resting lightly against his chest, one of his hands draped across her shoulders. There wasn't a single part of her that wasn't sore, and it was especially prominent in her bandaged arm; it throbbed painfully.

She rubbed at her eyes with her uninjured arm, their surroundings slowly coming into focus. They were surrounded by bark, he must have dug into the side of a tree and found them temporary shelter. She noticed his discarded spears, their tips blunted by his repeated actions; she noticed his fingers as well, bloodied from strenuously pulling apart the layers of hardened bark.

His arms slipped away as she moved into a sitting position, her movements rousing him from his sleep.

"How are you feeling?" he mumbled tiredly.

She could hear the concern in his voice, "I'm okay. What happened? I remembered walking and…"

"You fell unconscious," he said softly, his hands quickly pressing against her forehead, "your fever has subsided. That's good."

"Everything hurts," she groaned as she got up onto her feet, a sudden wave of nausea quickly forcing her into holding the side of the tree for balance until it receded.

Her eyes fell onto their remaining supplies, she was famished, and they only had three tiny berries left.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

There was a soft clack as her blaster's final clip was completely exhausted. She dropped her weapon and reached for the retracted vibroblade strapped to her side. The weapon came to life, its sharpened tip extended outwards with a hiss as electricity crackled across its durasteel length. She swung forward as she drew her weapon, the blade connecting with the approaching creature; there was barely any resistance as it tore through skin, slicing the creature into complete halves that melted into the below snow.

She felt the presence of another behind her, an effective flank, she couldn't draw her blade back in time, but she was already prepared for that outcome. She pivoted forward, her free arm reaching into her utility pouch and removing a cyrogrenade. She flicked her wrist and it shot towards the nearing figures, exploding into a gust of frozen nitrogen upon impact, the creatures completely shattering seconds later.

She swung her blade at the next emerging creature, only to see another materializing beside her, its pale body formed from the gathering snow beneath her feet. It leapt towards her, smashing into the side of her chromium plated armor. The impact propelled her off her feet, a painful slam against a nearby tree, her breath completely knocked from her lungs.

But she managed to keep her hold on her blade; her grip was firm, an upwards thrust as the creature jumped once more towards her, only to impale itself onto her blade. Her boot pressed against its chest and shoved forward, releasing her weapon in a spectacular splutter of whitened blood.

She was suddenly aware of an abrupt stillness, the final echoes of an Imperial blaster soon coming to pass. She turned and saw three of the creatures pouncing onto the remaining Stormtrooper, a short yelp as he too, was quickly silenced. The first that turned towards her was rewarded with the thrust of her blade through its eyeless socket, the blade quickly retracting before slicing across its neck, looping off its skull and sending it rolling across the forest floor.

She dodged the swing of the second before leaping forward and smashing her shoulder into the third, her armor's full weight driving it backwards and stumbling into a fall. She slammed her boot down onto the fallen creature's skull, as steel spikes extended from its sole, an upgrade to the Stormtrooper armor that allowed them better mobility in frictionless grounds. It crushed through bone with a sickening crunch.

She turned back to the second, but she wasn't fast enough to dodge its nearing grasp as claws scratched across her helmet's visor, leaving widening cracks that obstructed her vision. Phasma unclasped her helmet, dropping it to the ground as cold blue eyes tunneled into her remaining foe.

She swung forward as it reached towards her, the swing of her blade going wide as the creature ducked with unnatural speed, a powerful grasp as it latched onto her wrist. She growled as sharpened claws dug into flesh, but her grip remained firm even as blood splattered onto the ground below. She pushed forward, using the creature's nearing proximity against itself, slamming it back against a nearby tree.

It screamed wordlessly at her, a lasting shriek that came to a halt as she rammed her held blade into its skull, leaving the creature impaled into the side of the tree. But as she took a step back, she noticed parts of the creature already starting to crumble, fragments of its broken body falling into the below snow and dissolving into its midst.

Within seconds, nothing remained of the dozens that attacked them, her only company the bloodied corpses of the four Stormtroopers that came along with her.

The temperature dropped chillingly, and she was suddenly alone.


	7. Chapter 7

_"What troubles you, young padawan?"_

_The older Jedi held a warm smile; the kind that could seemingly melt all traces of uncertainty and fear. Obi-Wan Kenobi had always been able to sense his uneasiness and anxiety, no matter how hard Anakin tried concealing his emotions from his master._

_"Nothing, Master."_

_The young boy pulled the Force around himself, shrouding his emotions in its embrace, further fortifying his lie in its surrounding concealment. "I was just-"_

_"Anakin…" the older Jedi frowned. "This is not what you're taught to do with the Force."_

_Obi-Wan merely waved an arm, and the gathered Force dissipated between the two, revealing an emotionally exposed and very much vulnerable, Anakin Skywalker. "You are not supposed to misuse the Force for your own-" The child's emotions came abruptly, unrestrained and overpowering; Obi-Wan felt the boy's growing fear, the uncontrolled anxiety, and in a moment of clarity, he suddenly understood Anakin's silent disquietude._

_"Oh," the older Jedi paused, before reaching for the little boy's shoulder, giving him the most reassuring of squeezes. There was a long moment of silence, and though the action itself was physical, the meaning behind transcends that of a simple touch._

_The boy's shoulder slumped and he looked up from behind a headful of sandy hair. "Master, are you not going to reprimand me?"_

_"I am not," Obi-Wan said._

_Anakin's eyes, as blue as the lakes of Naboo, were filled with confusion. "Why?"_

_The older Jedi chuckled. "Because, there is nothing wrong with being afraid."_

_"But the Jedi code?" the boy stammered, "there is no emotion, only peace?"_

_"The Jedi teachings are merely guidelines." Obi-Wan shrugged. "They are useful, but ancient. Regardless of such, even the most experienced of Jedi will fear for their lives when being chased by a Bantha in heat during its mating cycle."_

_The child remained quiet, not quite understanding the older Jedi's humor._

_"What I'm trying to say, is that you need not worry," Obi-Wan smiled. "You are still young, and there is much to learn._

_"But…" the boy meekly asked, "will you teach me?"_

_"Of course," the older Jedi frowned. "What made you think otherwise?"_

_"There are rumors. If the peace treaty does not hold, then you'll be send to the front lines of war, and I will be left behind in the temple, under another master." The boy looked away, his face slightly flushed. "There is also much talk amongst the padawans… that you're only taking me as your apprentice because of Master Qui-Gon Jinn."_

_The older Jedi was quiet for a long while, his brow in an uneasy furrow. "I- You're right. War is stirring, and despite our best efforts, I fear that the Jedi Order must soon choose its side. If, and when, that happens, I will be leaving Coruscant, and you'll stay." He struggled, and the uneasiness eventually cracked, bringing the return of softest smiles. "But do not fear, young Skywalker. To be master and apprentice, it is as much Master Qui-Gon's decision, as it is the will of the Force itself."_

_"The will of the Force?" the boy asked skeptically._

_"The masters do not choose their apprentice. Everything happens because of the Force, no matter how small," Obi-Wan said, "and I am honored, to have you as my apprentice."_

_The boy crossed his arms, slightly convinced but still unhappy. "The teachers at the Academy are not as strong as you, Master."_

_"Strength is not everything." The Jedi chuckled. "You will learn in time that knowledge, and a little bit of strategy, easily trumps the former."_

_Anakin did not reply, but Obi-Wan could sense the quiet discomfort in the boy's solemn eyes._

_"I…" the boy started to say, "I am going to miss you."_

_"I will miss you too, Anakin." He ruffled the boy's hair into a sandy mess. "But do not worry. You'll meet and make tons of friends at the Academy. You'll forget me in no time."_

_"Ar- are we friends?" the boy suddenly asked._

_"Of course we are! What made you think otherwise?!" He started to smile, before realizing the boy was completely serious. "Wait, you mean back on Tatooine you don't have- am I your first friend?"_

_The boy nodded._

_Obi-Wan was lost for words. "I-… I had no idea."_

_"Back on Tatooine, there was only me and my mother. I was born a slave, so I didn't exactly get to go out and make friends." He paused. "I… I'm not exactly sure how."_

_They were quiet as the Corvette-class civilian transport shuttle swung into view around Coruscant's orbit, granting its occupations a wonderous view of the astonishing galactic ecumenpoleis. An expanse of ceaseless lights that stretched across the planet's horizon, a metaphor for its eternal life; regardless of rule by the Galactic Empire or the New Republic._

_Eyes were drawn to the spacious viewports; the two of them remained in their seats, while a few impatient passengers released their tethered harnesses and floated across the length of the ship for a better look._

_"You are going to be alright, Anakin," the older Jedi said, "you are going to survive whatever comes your way. You'll form bonds with those you'll come to meet, some stronger than others, even the most unexpected ones." He smiled, "Perhaps a bond even stronger than what we have."_

_"Unlikely," the boy shook his head._

_"Your problem Anakin, is that you are afraid. Not of the scary unknown, but of opening yourself up. You are afraid of getting hurt, and because of that fear, you've become afraid of trusting." Obi-Wan said. "I do not blame you, it takes a certain way of… viewing things, to have survived Tatooine as you have."_

_"But believe me, Anakin," the Jedi said, "one day, you'll learn that even the most unexpected of bonds, will come from where you least expected. And when they do, even a complete stranger, might be your most trusted friend."_

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

She kept up with him, but barely. Her injuries were not severe, but she was faltering. Exhaustion was setting, and in its inevitability, the creatures crept ever closer. He could sense them, an occasional dart at the corner of his eyes, the resonating echoes of a faraway growl. They grew closer and more frequent as the two continued forward.

She stumbled, and he caught her, the two of them falling to a knee. Her breathing was heavy and the wrapped bandages were soaked red once more. She couldn't continue, not at this hurried pace. She looked at him and as their eyes caught, the both of them understood – she was nothing but dead weight at this point. She was slowing him down, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself against the approaching creatures.

She asked him to leave her behind and go, that he was not obliged in any manner to stay. Every instinct screamed at him to forget her and march on ahead, but yet, something held him back. He wondered, if it was the bond that Obi-Wan talked about all those years passed.

He helped her up onto her feet and handed her their last remaining spear; its tip was blunted from repeated use, but a weapon nonetheless still. He reached for her shoulder and squeezed, the same reassuring way that Obi-Wan did.

"Go," he said. "I will hold them back."

She disagreed entirely with his idea. She tried to reason with him, but was adamant in his decision. She argued, but he was uncompromising. He had already made up his mind.

"You better catch up to me afterwards," she hissed. "If you don't, I will come back and kill you myself."

Then, reluctantly, she was gone, and he was alone.

**.**

* * *

**.**

He sat down onto the forest floor, eyes closed, palms resting on his leg. He had not been in a meditative state since their departure from the stolen ship, and as his breathing started to slow, he felt a flush of warmth and clarity spread across his entire frame. The Force, like a persistent wildfire, struggled against the forest's tempering suppression.

There was a tickling breeze, the soft rustling of snow. He felt it, from beyond the darkened treeline, and then, for the first time, he saw - hundreds, perhaps even thousands of them, submerged in the winter snow. Sleeping, waiting.

The first materialized from the snow in front of him. An emerging monstrosity, a haunting contrast to the quiet calmness. It leapt towards him – and Anakin sprung upwards, pivoting and dodging the creature's claws as it dove past him and skidded across the snow covered floor. It recovered almost instantly, a jarring screech as it turned back towards the lone male.

Anakin raised an arm towards the darting figure, but as soon as he felt the gathering of Force from his fingertips, came the rising presence of a dampening suppression. The snow below glowed, and like wind slicing through dust, the gathered Force was quickly dissipated. He snarled in annoyance, and took a step back just as the creature slammed into him with full intensity. The momentum sent them tumbling backwards, rolling across snow before he spun to balance – just as a clawed arm shot towards his skull.

He ducked, then sprung forward, shooting underneath the creature's returning swing, his arm hooking onto its exposed neck and dragging him down to the ground. The creature might be physically stronger than he was, but in such close quarters, pure strength was not the defining factor. The creature attacked with mindless savagery, but Anakin responded with strategy and technique.

He caught a loose swing and drove forward, pinning the creature's arm for a brief second as he reached into the back of his suit and pulled out a piece of sharpened bark, torn from a nearby tree. He gathered his strength and slammed the piece of wood into the creature's exposed neck area, easily penetrating flesh and skin. He twisted the makeshift weapon and pushed it in further, the creature shrieked even louder, its body convulsing a final time before falling completely still.

He rose from the ground, in the middle of a clearing, as dozens of them howled from the surrounding treeline – he looked up, and they started to charge.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

_Forward, one step after another_ , Rey told herself, there was nothing she wanted more than to stop and to rest, but she knew she couldn't, not out here in the open. She could no longer sense their presence - the creatures - whatever they were; and in the soft glow of her quiet surroundings, it was almost beautiful. Her blunted weapon hung loosely at her side and her injured arm was painfully throbbing, but still she pushed onward.

_One step after another._

She pushed past the treeline and her eyes widened in surprise. She was on the top of a hill and at the other end of the clearing, was a dome-shaped structure. White and covered in pale snow; there was no visible activity, and it seemed nothing more than a frozen monument of a fallen prey, lost once more to the forest's cold. But she recognized the symbol by the side of the structure. She had seen it many times before, on relics of the fallen starships buried in Jakku's dunes.

_The Old Galactic Empire._

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

He met the first creature head on, as years of Jedi training took over instinct. He used the creature's own momentum to stagger it forward, before spinning and lunging his makeshift weapon towards its skull, the piece of tree bark slicing into the creature's face. His foot shifted, using his forward movement to drive his attack towards the second creature.

The piece of wood tore into the creature's chest, slicing cleanly through but barely hindering its current onslaught. Its arm slammed into Anakin, who released his weapon in order to bring his elbows up. His arms took the blunt of the attack, sending him reeling backwards, his entire body shaking from the impact. He felt an immediate nearing presence, and turned as another tackled him from the side. He felt something crack and his lungs were immediately on fire. He was not granted rest, as a warning screech registered seconds before a line of fire ran up his spine.

Blood splattered across the whitened canvas below and he ducked just before the attacking creature could lop his head off with another swing. He turned and caught the creature's arm, the flat of his fist striking against the back of its elbow, violently snapping its arm forward. He pivoted, then kicked its legs out from under it, forcing it to the ground before stomping his knee into its skull.

Something shrieked dangerously close by and he turned just as another creature backhanded him across the side of his skull. He shot to the side, crashing into the snow as his vision blurred. Something wet trickled down the side of his face, and as he tried pulling himself up, he felt his knees crumpling weakly beneath, sending him back to the ground.

He saw the creature nearing, circling him like a helpless prey. It howled, and it jumped.

Anakin's breathing stilled, and in that instance, darkness shot forth like an erupting torrent, consuming everything between them in its fiery wrath. The snow below glowed and the air in front of him shimmered - an unseen wall that started to absorb traces of his Force energy. He growled and the darkness intensified, colliding fiercely against the invisible barrier and burning fervently through the forest's smothering presence.

The wall shattered, and the creature was caught in mid leap – it hung still for a moment, defying gravity and in the next, it was sent violently downwards, smashing into the ground as another bout of pressure ploughed into its convulsing frame. Bones shattered as the body caved inwards, and suddenly, the wave expanded outwards, forcing all the nearby creatures down onto their knees.

Anakin stood, his eyes a ring of yellow glow. He roared, and the pressure intensified. The trees around them rumbled, and cracks tore up their trunks towards the unseen sky above. The screams grew collectively, and in that moment, the Force erupted outwards, an ear-splitting boom that flung him from where he stood.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

It took Rey a long while to traverse the deep slope. It was a long way down and for her own safety, she had to proceed downwards in a crisscrossing pattern. Eventually reaching the bottom, she started on another long trek in the direction of the faraway dome structure.

It took slightly lesser than half a day, not that it was possible to tell in the winter forest. The canopy covered the night sky, miles above from where she stood. Eventually, she found herself outside the dome's entrance. It was quiet and as far as she could tell, the place was completely deserted.

A relic of the past, but a shelter within the forest's center. She proceeded carefully, painfully aware of how quiet it was in the presence of such a vast structure. There were no signs of remaining civilization. It was a lot bigger than she initially thought, at least ten levels high and as wide as her eyes could grasp.

She circled the building until she found an entranceway.

The first warning sign, was that the entranceway was forcefully jarred apart. There was a lock pad, but the doors were left ajar. Huge durasteel frames that were caught in the center, allowing her to slip inside and finding herself in an empty corridor. A few flickering lights illuminated the forward path and another door stood at its end. Exposed wires were seen dangling from overhead, and she could make out dozens of blaster markings on the walls around her.

She grabbed a handful of snow and took a deep breath, using its provided illumination as she made her way towards the faraway door that would lead into the building's inside. She was halfway there when she kicked onto something solid, causing her to jump as adrenaline quickly flooded her system. She dropped the snow, flooding the surrounding areas with illumination, and her breath caught at the sight.

Dozens of fallen Stormtrooper armor littered the ground in front of her, most in a decimated state, violently torn into, ripped and sliced into shreds. It was like stepping into a stilled grave, except for the complete lack of visible bodies. The armor were completely empty. Completely, not even skeletons remained.

Some were slumped against walls, other took cover behind various structures. She kneeled downwards and studied the nearest torn armor plate. It was an older issue, nothing she had seen before. There was also a thick layer of dust across the plastoid plate. No one have been here for a long time. She gulped nervously and picked up the fallen Stormtrooper's blaster. She had no choice but to push forward.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

The creatures fell and it was quiet once more.

He dropped to his knees, his eyes rolling as he fell completely limp. When he opened them once more, only tired blue remained. Something moved at his peripherals, but the shadows kept at the treeline. He felt their presence, but it was like they dared not approach.

He stood, then cried out as pain tore through the gash across his back. He fell back down, eyes widening as his jaw gaped. He couldn't breathe. He remembered what happened to Rey the last time they were attacked, and it was the last thought that crossed his mind before unconsciousness took hold.

**.**

* * *

**.**

**.**

He was unaware. But he saved her.

_1415-B._

She was down to her last blaster clip. Even all of the ammo she looted from her fallen Stormtroopers could not keep the creatures at bay.

 _Like ghouls_ – she thought. They did not consume human flesh – as far as she could tell – but they were almost like evil spirits, not of flesh, but seemingly materializing from the snow below.

They were however, killable – and the one thing Phasma knew best, was to kill.

She had took down her fair share of the ghouls, until they overwhelmed her in numbers. They had surrounded her, and all seemed lost until she heard his voice from afar.

A terrifying scream. Not of fear, but anger, rage.

The ghouls froze, and the following shockwave shattered the ones around her, crumbling them into the below snow. Those that were unaffected, they became quiet, almost afraid. They backed off into the forest's darkness and she was suddenly alone once more.

She walked towards the chaos, past several uprooted trees and came upon an open clearing.

He laid in its center, motionless and quiet.

She approached him, wondering if he was dead. But he was still breathing, shallowly.

She tapped onto the Datacom on her wrist. Before they entered the forest, it was updated with the newer batch of topographical files sent from Imperial Command.

The old galactic research outpost on map was only a few hours' trek away.

Left alone, the man would die. But Phasma had her set of morals and beliefs. 1415-B wasn't her target, and in saving her life, she would return the favor. At least until different circumstances. She strapped her blaster to her back and effortlessly hoisted the unconscious man onto her shoulders.

Then, she turned in the direction of the research outpost and started walking.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, plot development! Rey found the old research outpost, where remnants of a previous massacre could be found. Phasma "saved" Anakin and they are also heading in that direction. I've always thought of Phasma as a Knight of some sort. Not a Jedi Knight, but a literally one. A loyal soldier to the Empire, but noble at heart. He saved her, and in exchange, she would return him the favor. At least until they meet once more under different circumstances.
> 
> Also @ Nadiaa - Thanks for the laugh! Those are certainly some... unique bookmark tags!


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